Tale of the Bronze Trio
by 67OtakuGirl24X3
Summary: This is the story that's the mother of all my Harry Potter fan fictions! It tells the story of the Bronze Trio, AKA Shiro Ueda,Konata Verdent, and Blaze Alexanders. -Note: Blaze is an OC of my friend s6attered.'ce.
1. Chapter 1: Shiro

"Ah, I remember when I first came to Diagon Alley…" sighed a 13 year old boy. This boy was rather tall for his age, and had messy, chocolate colored hair with lovely blue eyes.

"Well naturally you would. It was only 2 years ago," his 11 year old brother indicated. This boy looked much like the first, except he was scrawnier, his hair was a bit darker shade of brown as well as straight and shorter, and his eyes were somehow quite more attractive.

The older boy waved his hand, dismissing the comment. From his pocket he removed a folded up note from their parents."Whatever. Now then… We've gotten your books and cauldron, your robe has been fitted, you have a wand… Where shall we go next, Shiro?"

Shiro Ueda thought for a moment. "Let's see… How about we look at pets?"

The older boy- Satoshi, his name was- scanned his eyes over the note, muttering to himself. "Sounds good. Mum and Dad say you can get any pet you want, even an owl… Lucky you, they never let me get even ONE pet. Said I'd bury it alive or flush it down a toilet within the first month… They were right, of course, but it would've all been in good fun…" Shiro rolled his eyes, striding off toward Magical Menagerie. He sighed silently. He understood why his parents had to stay home; taking all 6 of their children, especially the 5 year old twins Satoko and Sakito, to Diagon Alley would be chaos. But did they really have to make Satoshi accompany him? He loved his brother, truly, but… Of all people they knew…

It wasn't too crowded of people in the pet shop, but quite a ruckus was about. Ravens were crowing; rats were scurrying nosily; cats were meowing morosely…

"So, brother dear, what would you like? I hear toads are TOTALLY cool…"

Shiro shot Satoshi a glare. "I'm not stupid. I know that toads are the most embarrassing animals you can purchase. Honestly, you must think I was born yesterday…" He looked around the room with a bored expression on his face, while inside he was bursting with excitement. "I don't know, maybe we should swing by the Owl Emp-"

"YOUCH! What in bloody Hell was that?" Satoshi screeched, spinning around to examine the back of his leg.

"Watch your tongue, Satoshi. Let me see…" Shiro kneeled down, then had to stifle a laugh. A tan and brown cat- he recognized it as a Himalayan- sat at his elder brother's feet, nose twitching and claws ejected. Distinct claw marks were visible on the back of Satoshi's pant leg, revealing some fresh pink scratches beneath. Grinning, Shiro scooped the feline into his arms.

"You silly kitty, what'd you go and do that for?"

"Silly? Shiro, don't TOUCH that thing! What if it has rabies?" shrieked Satoshi.

Shiro stood up straight, holding the now purring cat closer to his chest and beginning to stroke its fur. "She doesn't have RABIES, Satoshi. She's glowing with health. And what a beauty she is…" Turning on his heel, he approached the counter. "How much for this cat, sir?" he asked sweetly.

"Her? Oh, my boy, you may be biting off more you can chew with that one. Always finding secret passages, bothering the other animals, scratching customers she doesn't seem to like… A good mouser, though."

Shiro's smile remained, but it became more obvious that it was faked. "Thank you for the background information, sir, I truly appreciate it. It'll be useful when I purchase her. Which I can't do unless you answer my question…"

The man scratched his chin for a second. "Well, if you insist… 20 galleons."

Satoshi choked on air. "20 galleons? For that fleabag?"

Shiro gave him the evil eye, plopping 20 shiny galleons on the counter. "Don't call her such vile things. Such a beauty should be worth at least _40_…"

"Hm, you have a good point, perhaps I should raise the price…" But Shiro had bolted out the door before the man could change his mind. Smirking joyfully, Satoshi jogged after him. He ruffled his hair. "That was so devious of you. I'll bet you'll be put into Slytherin like our old man. Though I was hoping you'll be a Gryffindor, like moi."

Shiro shook his head, running his fingers through the cat's fur. "No offense, but I don't really want to be a Gryffindor… I'd much rather be a Slytherin. I mean, Dad's the only good person that's come out of that place. I want to change that. Although I'd love to be a Ravenclaw, like Aunt Renee… Y'know, she says that Mum probably would've been sorted into there, had she not been a Squib."

Satoshi gave a small nod, flinching at the word "Squib". Secretly, he desperately wished his mother had been a pureblood, like their father was. It would save him an awful lot of trouble and probably make him more friends. "Well, anyway, let me count out how many galleons we have left, then we can work from there," he muttered, propping himself against a lamppost. "By the way… Are you going to give a name to that furball?" he asked, nodding at the cat in Shiro's arms. Shiro bit the inside of his cheek, deep in thought, then nodded. "I'd like to name her Mischief."

Receiving the distinct feeling he was being watched, Shiro glanced over his shoulder. A skinny boy with unruly black hair and round glasses was waiting outside The Leaky Cauldron, looking at him. Smiling, Shiro gave him a wave; this caused him to sit bolt upright, send a miniscule wave in return, then quickly turn his gaze away.

Shiro looked back at Satoshi and was disappointed to see he'd only made it to 10 galleons. He sighed inaudibly, half wishing Satoshi had inherited his mother's brains like he had. Turning his attention back to the street, Shiro noticed a girl with brown hair lighter than Satoshi's, tied up in two semi-frizzy pigtails, stumbling down the alley. She appeared to be no more than 9, but Shiro knew that couldn't be the case, for a basket filled with textbooks, quills, and parchment piled up in it was teetering in her arms. She approached a slight change in the stone pavement, then- CRASH! With a screech, she fell onto her stomach, rolls of parchment unrolling themselves, ink splashing everywhere, and textbooks flying open. "Oh, goodness, no…!" she gasped feebly. Swiftly placing Mischief beside Satoshi, Shiro bolted to her side.

"You sure have made a mess of things, hm?" he said softly, gingerly closing the books that were out of her reach. Sniffling and shakily reaching for an upturned ink bottle, the girl nodded.

"Y-yes, I'm terribly clumsy… You don't need to help me, but thank you so, SO much…" Tears shimmered in her emerald green eyes as she realized how irreparable her book required for Potions, now drowned in ink, was. A tear managed to escape when she saw how scraped up her elbows were. Shiro stacked the surviving books in a neat pile, taking the girl's hand and helping her to her feet.

"Let's see, you're not bleeding, that's good… Those scrapes should be gone within a week. Also, don't worry about buying a new textbook. Just ask one of the teachers if they could clean it up for you on your first day, is all. You'll probably need new ink though…"

The girl nodded grimly, staring at her feet. "Y-yes, certainly." She sniffled again, heaving the stack of books back into her basket. Shiro helped her lift it, then placed the quills parchment rolls on top. "You look terribly stressed- understandably, of course… Why don't I buy you something from Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour? That should cheer you right up. In fact, after my brother counts out our galleons, I'll pay for you."

The girl's jaw dropped a bit. "O-oh, my, no! You can't spend your money on me… But thank you so much, you have no idea how much I appreciate it… M-may I ask one favor, though?"

"Naturally."

"Where can I buy my cauldron…?"

Smiling softly, Shiro pointed her toward Potage's Cauldron Shop. The girl nodded, thanking him multiple times, then trotted clumsily off in that direction.

"Okay, we've got 50 galleons left, let's wrap up your shopping… By the way, I saw you help that girl. Let me tell you how it is: I'M the flirty lady's man. YOU'RE the brainiac. Keep it that way, shall we?" came the voice of Satoshi, who nearly stepped on Mischief. Shiro picked up the cat, grinning up at his brother.

"I don't know, Sato. Brains AND good looks? The girls will be all over me before first term ends."


	2. Chapter 2: Companions

It wasn't long before Shiro and his family were heading off to King's Cross on September 1st. While the guard was distracted, the Uedas disappeared through the column to platform 9 ¾ one at a time (well, the twins went together), Shiro and Satoshi pushing their carts carrying their trunks for Hogwarts. Platform 9 ¾ was packed with wizarding families, many of the parents crying with their kids glancing away in embarrassment. Shiro caught a glimpse of the boy with the glasses that had been looking at him in Diagon Alley, surrounded by a large family of red-heads.

He glanced back at his own family, realizing this would probably be the last he saw of them before Christmas break. The moment he turned around, the twins pounced on him affectionately. "Don't go, Big Brother!" they squeaked. Shiro gently ran each of his hands through their black hair. "It's okay, I'll be back before you know it." He noticed his mother dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief.

"It seems like just yesterday we were teaching you how to walk… Soon enough you'll be taming dragons!" she sniffled.

Shiro felt himself blush, which caused Satoshi to grin. "Please, Mum, don't cry…" he muttered.

His mother laughed feebly. "Count yourself lucky. I'll be practically sobbing when the twins go off. Just thinking about it feels unsettling."

Shiro's dad gripped his wife's shoulder. "Now come on, Sandra, man up." He bent over and ruffled Shiro's hair. "Make sure to write us every week, since your brother managed to send us a total of 8 letters his two years at Hogwarts. Keep your grades up, impress the teachers, make some TRUE friends, not just a bunch of short term girlfriends… Basically, don't do what your brother does."

Shiro smirked, Satoshi's glare only making him feel better. "Got it, Dad. I'll make both of you proud."

"I don't doubt it," his parents said in unison.

Suddenly, the sound of a whistle echoed throughout the station and the Hogwarts Express rolled into view. "There it is…!" Shiro gasped, his heart rate increasing. Satoshi touched his shoulder reassuringly. "Don't worry, li'l bro. I'll sit with you on th-"

"Satoshi!" a female voice called. Satoshi immediately whipped around to see a group of girls giggling and waving at him. Face lighting up, he waved back and reluctantly turned back to his family. "Gotta go! Love you guys, see you Christmas, stay out of trouble, yaddy yaddy yadda, bye!" He hugged the twins and his two other sisters- Sana and Sakura- then bolted off with his cart to join his fan girls.

Shiro rolled his eyes, kneeling down so his siblings could hug him easier. "Sakura, you're the oldest child now… Keep things under control, alright?" Sakura nodded, her eyes watering. "And try to make Mum and Dad stop snogging in front of the little ones," Shiro added in a whisper. Sakura chuckled, nodding again.

"Best be getting a move on," his father indicated. Shiro nodded, kissing all his siblings on their heads. He stood up, quickly checked to make sure everything was on his cart, then with a final hug for each of his parents, he headed toward the train.

Once he had all his luggage put away, except for Mischief's carrier, containing the cat herself, Shiro scanned the aisles for a free seat. He began to feel a little queasy when he walked through nearly the entire train and couldn't find a seat that looked welcoming. He passed a very familiar pale-skinned blonde boy who was sitting with two rather ugly, ape-like boys. He could certainly sit with him; they'd known each other since they were 3. Nevertheless, he quickened his pace when he passed the booth containing Draco Malfoy.

At long last, in the farthermost part of the train, he found a booth that appeared to be empty. However, once he got close enough, he saw it was taken by a girl with short blonde hair, blue eyes, and black glasses. She was staring grimly out the window.

"Excuse me, miss… Would you mind if I accompany you?" Shiro asked, hoping his voice didn't sound too shaky. The girl glanced at him and gave an almost unnoticeable smile. "Yeah, sure."

Nodding his head in appreciation, Shiro sat across from her and placed Mischief's carrier beside him. "I might as well introduce myself… My name is Shiro Ueda," he told her.

The girl turned to face him all the way. "I'm Blaze Alexanders. Nice to meet you." Shiro nodded, but felt a ping of uncertainty. He knew the name Alexanders, all too well… But, how? Who did he know with the last name Alexanders? And why did it give him such a painful feeling?

Blaze returned to staring out the window, causing a sense of awkwardness to flood over Shiro. He leaned back, folding his hands behind his head like a pillow, and closed his eyes. After all, he hadn't managed to get much sleep with night. He had just started to nod off when he felt something crawl upon his lap. Mischief started hissing furiously in her cage, while Blaze murmured, "Uh, Shiro…?" Shiro opened his eyes in alarm, suddenly wide awake. Before he could completely register that there was a decent sized, dark brown rat standing on his lap, a third person burst into the booth and clasped their hands around the rodent. A petite girl with milk-chocolate colored hair in pigtails was kneeling on the floor of their booth, her nose pressed against the side of Shiro's leg. Blushing furiously, she shot to her feet, almost falling backward in the process.

"I am so, so, SO sorry! M-my rat escaped, a-and my parents spent a lot of money on him and he's become such a good companion that I just c-couldn't bear to lose him…" The girl was so obviously embarrassed that she looked like she would either burst into tears or flames at any moment.

A light bulb turned on in Shiro's head. "Oh, hey, you're that girl from Diagon Alley!" The girl blinked, clutching the rat to her chest. She gave a little gasp.

"Oh, my! H-hello! Thank you again for helping me out back there, a-and I'm still sorry about pouncing on you like I just did…"

Shiro shook his head, smiling kindly. "It's alright. I would've done the same if I was in your situation. Why don't you sit?"

The girl seemed to calm down a few levels. "S-sure!" She hesitantly sat beside Blaze, looking like she half expected Blaze to grow fangs and bite her.

"Your rat is GORGEOUS, if I do say so myself. The picture of health. What's his name?" Shiro asked.

"His name is Tar. Cheesy, I know, but I thought it was kind of cute…"

"Yeah, it is. For that matter… What's YOUR name?" Shiro added.

"I'm Konata. Konata Verdent. It's an honor to meet you…"

"Same. My name is Shiro Ueda, and that's Blaze Alexanders." Blaze nodded her head a little. Konata smiled sheepishly, her blush returning.

"So, I um… What houses do you guys think you'll be sorted into? I don't have a CLUE what I'll be…" Konata said.

Blaze uncrossed her legs and replied, "I think I'll be a Gryffindor or a Ravenclaw. I'd even settle for Hufflepuff, just ANYTHING except Slytherin. I hate Slytherins…"

Shiro nodded slowly, feeling like someone had punched him in the chest. "Actually, I uh… If not Ravenclaw, I was hoping to be a Slytherin…" Blaze looked at him in shock. "B-but only because my father was a Slytherin, but turned out to be a great man. I don't want him to be the only good person to come out of that place. All the other Slytherins I know of, I sort of want dead," he added quickly.

"I'd NEVER be put into Slytherin. Aren't they all obsessed with blood status and stuff? I'm a Muggle born," Konata indicated.

"Are you now? I'm a pureblood, but I don't think that matters," Blaze responded.

"My father was a pureblood, but he also didn't care about blood status. I mean, he married a Squib."

"A Squib? What's that?" questioned Konata, tilting her head.

Shiro opened his mouth to answer, but Blaze interrupted with, "A Squib is someone who has at least one magic parent, but has no magical powers themselves." Konata nodded.

As the train continued on its way, the three learned more and more about each other. They learned that Konata and Blaze both had no siblings, so that Shiro had 5 stunned them. They also discussed that though all 3 of them had British accents, Blaze was the only one who was 100% English. Shiro's father was solely Japanese and his mother was British. Konata wasn't quite positive about her family's nationality, but knew they had at least SOME British in them. "I don't understand why they gave me a Japanese name, since there's not a drop of Japanese in their blood… Though, had my name been correctly Japanese, it would be pronounced koh-nuh-tuh. They decided to pronounce it _kah_-nuh-tuh. Strange, but I don't argue it."

The trio chatted, drank hot chocolate, and ate Every Flavor Beans ("Why do I keep getting the unstomachable flavors?" Konata had shrieked unhappily) until people in neighboring booths started gasping, pointing, and shouting "There it is!" Blaze, Konata, and Shiro simultaneously turned toward the window, and gaped. They had reached Hogwarts Castle.

"Just like Father and Satoshi described it… But, better," Shiro whispered. Konata's green eyes were bugging nearly out of her head, and her tongue refused to allow her to speak. Blaze, too, was silent, grinning out the window in awe. They came through long enough for Konata to slide Tar into her pocket and Shiro to pick up Mischief's carrier, while Blaze slipped off to fetch her owl (she was a Snowy, named Xalia). All the students flooded out of the train to see a rather large, bearded man calling out instructions to them. "Firs' years to the boats!" he was shouting.

"Shiro, wait, don't let me get separated from you! We already misplaced Blaze…" Shiro wrapped his free arm around Konata's shoulders, ushering her toward a boat. Their blue-eyed blonde friend trotted up to them, carrying Xalia's cage in both arms. After putting Mischief on a seat, Shiro took Blaze's hand and gently pulled her into the little boat. He sat beside Konata, who was shaking with excitement. "Here we go…!" she squeaked.

As the boats progressed across the water magically, Shiro tried to look calm, but couldn't help his voice from cracking when he said, "Yeah. We're finally going to Hogwarts."


	3. Chapter 3: Sorting

The Hogwarts castle couldn't compare with even their wildest dreams. Though colossal enough from the outside, it seemed even larger on the inside. The hundreds of students were guided into the Great Hall, in which there were 4 giant tables where older students were already seated. Candles were floating on their own, and the ceiling was enchanted to display the clear, starry sky outside. At the front of the room sat all the professors, Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, who had long white hair with a matching beard and was wearing half moon spectacles, up front.

"Konata, I understand you're nervous, but you're preventing the blood from flowing through my arm," Shiro whispered. Konata immediately let go of him, her face transforming into a shade of crimson. She mouthed the words "I'm sorry," but no words came out. Shiro smiled reassuringly down at her (he did actually have to look DOWN, for while he was 5 feet 4 inches, Konata was a mere 4 feet 7 inches) and patted her hand.

Dumbledore gave a brief speech that welcomed the return of the second to seventh years and the entrance of the first years. Though it only lasted about 2 minutes, to the students it felt like it took an hour to complete. Especially to the older ones, who had heard relatively the same thing multiple times. When the speech was finally finished, Dumbledore drew the students' attention to an old chair at the front of the room. On it sat a scruffy brown hat that appeared ancient and ugly. To the shock of some, the hat suddenly moved, a sort of face appearing in the crinkles. But the biggest surprise was when it began singing:

"_Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,_

_But don't judge on what you see,_

_I'll eat myself if you can find _

_A smarter hat than me._

_You can keep your bowlers black,_

_Your tops hats sleek and tall,_

_For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_

_And I can cap them all._

_There's nothing hidden in your head _

_The Sorting Hat can't see,_

_So try me on and I will tell you _

_Where you ought to be._

_You might belong in Gryffindor,_

_Where dwell brave of heart,_

_Their daring, nerve, and chivalry_

_Set Gryffindors apart;_

_You might belong in Hufflepuff,_

_Where they are just and loyal,_

_Those patient Hufflepuffs are true_

_And unafraid of toil;_

_Or yet wise old Ravenclaw,_

_If you've a ready mind, _

_Where those of wit and learning,_

_Will always find their kind;_

_Or perhaps in Slytherin_

_You'll make your real friends,_

_Those cunning folk use any means_

_To achive their ends._

_So put me on! Don't be afraid!_

_And you won't get in a flap!_

_You're safe in my hands(though I have none)_

_For I'm a Thinking Cap!"_

Many of the first years exploded into enthusiastic applause, but the older students' clapping seemed more forced. "Abbott, Hannah!" Professor Minerva McGonagall shouted, thus officially starting the sorting. A blonde girl with her hair in two braids slowly emerged from the ground, shaking like a leaf in late autumn. She took a seat in the chair, hesitantly allowing McGonagall to place the hat on her head. Being much too large, it plopped over her eyes. "HUFFLEPUFF!" it announced in its gruff voice. Wild cheers sounded from the Hufflepuff table, at which students were dressed in black and yellow and wore crests with badgers on them. Smiling timidly, Hannah ran down and sat with them.

"Alexanders, Blaze!" McGonagall called soon after. "Good luck!" Konata and Shiro called after her. Blaze nodded, appearing about 5 times calmer than Hannah had. Being 5 foot 5 inches, the hat fit her a bit better. "Hm… Very tough decision here… Ravenclaw would suit you well… As would Slytherin…" the hat mumbled. Blaze drew in a gasp. She didn't dare breathe as the hat declared, "But you'd best be put in GRYFFINDOR!" Sighing in relief, Blaze stood and sat at the Gryffindor table with Satoshi, whom she automatically recognized as Shiro's brother.

Many other names were called, and many other houses grew in number. A girl with bushy brown hair that Shiro had seen talking to the boy with the glasses and one of the red head boys- her name was Hermione Granger- was sorted into Gryffindor and sat with Blaze. It was then Shiro noticed that the twin boys sitting with Satoshi had also been among the red head family. He recalled Satoshi saying their names were Fred and George Weasley.

"Malfoy, Draco!" McGonagall called after a while. Shiro tried to make himself unseen. Before the hat was even placed on Draco's head, it surely shouted "SLYTHERIN!" Shiro rolled his eyes. There was no other house his dear "friend" would fit better in.

Twin girls named Parvati and Padma Patil had been put into Ravenclaw and Gryffindor, then shortly after them the boy with the glasses was called up. Along with many other students, Shiro caught his breath when he learned he was the one and only Harry Potter: the boy who lived. "Why is everyone looking at him like that?" Konata asked in a whisper as Harry was put into Gryffindor.

"It's a… long story," Shiro muttered.

Many students later, McGonagall called "Ueda, Shiro!" Konata gave his hand a quick reassuring squeeze, then whispered "Good luck" as he walked toward the chair. "THAT'S MY BROTHER!" yelled the voice of Satoshi. Many cheers- most of them from the Gryffindor table- rung throughout the room, causing Shiro to blush a deep shade of red. He could just FEEL Draco laughing at this, but at this point he didn't care.

When the hat was placed on his head, he swore he heard it whistle. "There is a little bit of everything in this here head. You have the good of a Hufflepuff, the bravery of a Gryffindor, the smarts of a Ravenclaw, AND the cunning of a Slytherin… Tsk tsk, this is difficult. I would say you are most suited for… RAVENCLAW!" Shiro smiled in relief, sliding the hat off his head and trotting down toward the blue, black, and silver Ravenclaw table. He smiled gleefully back at Konata, whose name was called next.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" the hat declared the very second it touched Konata's head. Though her legs felt like jelly, Konata willed herself to proceed to the Hufflepuff table. She sat with Hannah, who immediately greeted her. Ron Weasley, who Shiro had seen sitting with Harry, was called next, and was put into Gryffindor. After a few more students, McGonagall called Blaise Zabani (he was put in Slytherin), and the sorting was declared over.

The feast was in its own category of amazing. In a matter of seconds, there were plates and glasses in front of each and every student, endless platters of exquisite food in the middle of each table. Dumbledore said a few more words, then invited them to begin eating.

"Whew, alright, I think I've eaten enough to last me until the next holiday feast," huffed Shiro as he scaled the seemingly everlasting stairs to his destined dormitory.

"I thought so too, but by the time we get to the common room I bet it'll all be burned off," responded Shiro's new roommate, Michael Corner. Michael had deep brown eyes and a head of long black hair. He had sat beside Shiro during the feast, and the boys clicked immediately. Also rooming with them would be two other fellow Ravenclaw boys, Terry Boot and Anthony Goldstein. To Konata's delight, her dormitory would be shared with Hannah, as well as some girls named Megan Jones and Susan Bones (she chose not to point out that two of their last names rhymed). Blaze's roommates were Hermione Granger, Parvati Patil, and a girl with curly, dirty blonde hair named Lavender Brown.

When the four boys resorted to their new dorm, consisting of two four poster beds and a large window that provided a breathtaking view, they were relieved to see their trunks had been brought up for them. Mischief had been curled up on one of the bottom bunks, but stretched then sat up with a "meow" when her master returned. Shiro tickled her under her chin, which made her purr, and tossed her a piece of chicken he'd snatched from the feast.

"Best be getting to bed now. I'd say we have a LONG day tomorrow," declared Anthony with a yawn. The other boys nodded in agreement, reaching to unlatch their trunks. Though they all were sure they were much too excited to get much more than a wink of sleep, after lying in their pajamas under their covers for 5 minutes, they were out like a light.


	4. Chapter 4: School Days

It wasn't long before each day seemed to fall into a familiar pattern. Konata and Shiro didn't often see Blaze besides at the Great Hall, though Konata did have Herbology class with her. Lucky for Konata, Shiro was her lab partner in Potions; without him, she'd probably cause an explosion daily. Still, Snape wasn't awfully fond of either of them.

"You're Shotaro's son, aren't you?" Snape said during one class. Shiro glanced up from his potion, reluctantly leaving it to Konata, and offered a smile.

"Yes, sir, I am."

"Your brother is exactly like him… The boy sickens me. I never did like your father," Snape growled. Shiro could feel Konata shaking beside him.

"Don't worry, I'm nothing like either of them… If anything, I'm the polar opposite of Satoshi. I'll be sure to be a much better student, I assure you." Snape gave a small nod, turning with a _swish_ to his robes.

Flying didn't appeal very much to Konata or Shiro. Blaze was already showing to be a fantastic Quidditch player- nearly as good as Harry- but Konata and Shiro didn't have such luck. Konata had to shout "Up" at her broom 13 times before it flew into her hand; it took Shiro 6 tries. Once on the broom, he wasn't terribly talented. He could hold onto the broom and everything, but felt too uneasy. Konata, on the other hand, liked the feeling of confidence she received, yet she couldn't keep control over her broom and soon slipped off. Shiro dived to catch her, but missed by a few inches. Instead, Konata fell into the arms of Zacharias Smith, causing the faces of both Konata and Shiro to go brick red.

Herbology and Astronomy were much easier for Konata. She had quite the green thumb, and a knack for all things astronomical. Shiro was rather gifted in these areas as well. Blaze managed to keep up a Ravenclaw-material performance in all subjects, but still, nothing highlighted her talents like Flying.

Shiro mastered the basics of most Charms and Transfigurations within 10 attempts, while Konata had much more difficulty. Instead of turning a pin into a bug, she managed to turn the pin into a raisin, and when she was supposed to make a feather float, all chanting "_Leviosa!"_ did for her was shove the feather off her desk. Consequently, she stayed up hours after her roommates studying under her blanket (she did manage to master _lumos_), only getting to sleep after she felt she'd made some reasonable progress.

Defense Against the Dark Arts (DADA) was, surprisingly, one of her better subjects. Their stuttering, scaredy-cat professor Quirrell didn't make lessons all that enjoyable, but they did find that Shiro had quite the talent in magical defense. Being tiny and lacking much skill earned Konata the nickname "Little Quirrell" as well as a wimpy reputation. Konata used this to her advantage, though: nearly everyone wanted to be paired against her when they practiced dueling, so after extra practice with Shiro, she knocked many of her partners on their bottoms quickly.

History of Magic was, by far, the worst of the 8 subjects. It was taught by Professor Binns, who just happened to be a ghost. Students tended to look at this period as a time for catching up on rest. Blaze and Shiro did try hard to participate, but their eyelids drooped within 10 minutes of Binns droning on about events in the textbook. The only student who enjoyed History of Magic was Konata. Having never known of the existence of magic besides in fairytales, she was eager to learn all she could about the wizard world; even the boring, seemingly insignificant facts.

On the 15th of September, Konata turned 11. She didn't tell anyone, but Dumbledore announced it at lunch that morning. She went beet red as all the first years (except the Slytherins) and some older students sang "Happy Birthday" to her. Shiro wanted to buy her something, but she flat out wouldn't allow it and insisted he go on with his day as if it wasn't a special occasion.

Despite every day consisting of basically the same events, none of the students could say they weren't overjoyed to be a Hogwarts student.


	5. Chapter 5: Halloween Fright

It wasn't until the 31st of October that things got more interesting. More ghosts than ever floated through the walls and ceiling, twice as many candles lit than on the first day. Gigantic jack-o-lanterns grown by the gamekeeper, Hagrid, lined the walls, flickering both brilliantly and ominously.

"I used to go trick-or-treating with my parents every year… I was usually a princess of some sort. I feel ashamed that I had been a Muggles' idea of a witch one year…" Konata was saying. Shiro took a swig of pumpkin juice, patting her shoulder.

"Not your fault. You didn't know about the magical community."

"Yeah, guess so. Oh, hey… Did you hear the rumors? About a group of Gryffindors planning to sneak off to the Forbidden Forest tonight?" Konata asked in a whisper. Shiro slowly shook his head, taking another sip of his delectable pumpkin juice.

"It's just a rumor, I'm sure. Just because they're brave doesn't mean they're STUPID. _Nobody _is senseless enough to go into the Forbidden Forest," he reasoned. He narrowed his eyes. "Now, don't YOU go doing something stupid, like going into the forest yourself to see if the rumors are true."

"What! Of course I wouldn't! Let's not be ridiculous," Konata countered quickly. She spun back around to return to her apple cider, taking a rather hasty sip. She hoped Shiro couldn't tell her heart was beating a mile a minute; she couldn't believe he could read her thoughts so well, and didn't want to admit she'd lied to him by saying she wouldn't go.

Later that day, the students were free to wander around the grounds. Konata kept nervously glancing at every Gryffindor they passed, trying to determine where they were headed and if they seemed suspicious-looking or nervous. She tried to force herself to relax and enjoy the break. Shiro got her to visit Hagrid's cottage with him, seeming completely unfazed that they hadn't seen Blaze for a while.

"Hello, Mr. Hagrid, it's Shiro Ueda and Konata Verdent… Mind if we come in?" Shiro chimed in a peppy tone, knocking on the cottage door. The large man opened it, his face beaming. "Ah, o' course yeh can! Welcome here an' time, the lotta you. Yer frien' Blaze, too. She bin down here a couple o' times already, real nice girl. An'way, come in! I'll put on some tea for yeh."

Konata looked around the little house sheepishly, her cheeks a light shade of pink. She'd seen Hagrid around, of course, but never actually spoke to him; he was just the gamekeeper in her eyes. But, obviously, Shiro had something different with him.

"You see, Satoshi made a habit of bothering poor Mr. Hagrid. Tormenting his animals, messing with his crops… He told me Hagrid would be good company for me; he found we had lots in common when it came to our opinions on four-legged critters and such. My mum says that the only trouble I ever gave her was when I brought in feral pets at least once every month," Shiro explained, taking a seat in a rather large armchair. Since it could easily seat two people, Shiro scooted to the farthest side of the chair, patting the free space. Konata nodded timidly, sitting beside him with still an inch of room between them.

Konata's mind was completely wiped of Gryffindors when she noticed something stirring in the corner. She squeaked, crawling farther back into the chair, as a giant gray boarhound approached them. Shiro chuckled as the dog placed its huge head on his lap, drooling down his leg. He scratched behind its ear affectionately. "There's nothing to fear, Konata, he's a gentle giant. His name is Fang. He's a real sweetie, c'mon, pet him." Fang turned his droopy eyes toward Konata, who inched her way closer and half-heartedly patted his head. In return, she received a slobbery lick on the hand. She laughed feebly, sliding into a normal sitting position.

"See, 'e don't bite. Real whimp, 'e is. Take some tea, sweet'eart," Hagrid said gently, handing Konata a steaming cup.

"Th-thank you, sir," Konata murmured, blowing off her tea.

"I don' quite git how a shy lil' lady like you came across some'un like Shiro 'n lived," mused Hagrid with a smile.

"Oh, trust me, I'll be the death of Shiro before he's the death of me," replied Konata with a miniscule smile.

Shiro grinned, sipping his tea but flinching since he hadn't blown it off. "Let's hope." Konata giggled and carefully sipped her own tea.

The trio spoke for about an hour until sunset began, when Shiro decided they should head back to the castle. Konata, mind free of Gryffindors, bowed her thanks to Hagrid, who ruffled her hair affectionately but almost knocked her over with his large hand.

As they made their way back to the castle, Shiro caught sight of something that made him shudder. "What is it?" Konata asked, her voice cracking a bit with concern.

Shiro hesitantly pointed to a bench on which Satoshi sat, clearly making out with a brunette girl. "They met last week, and they're already sucking face. My brother disgusts me," Shiro groaned. His brother… He was a Gryffindor… Konata's earlier suspicion bubbled back up inside her.

Shiro went rigid when the brunette opened one eye, backed away from Satoshi, and pointed Shiro's way. Satoshi looked up uninterestedly, then waved him down. "Oi, Shiro! Get over here!" With an aggravated sigh, Shiro trudged over to his brother. Konata heard the brunette girl saying "He looks like a little you, Sato! Goodness he's a cutie!" and Satoshi remarking "But I'm cuter, right?" but then something caught her eye: someone in black, gold and red slinking off toward the Forbidden Forest. Konata sucked in her breath, glancing back at Shiro. He was preoccupied by Satoshi pinching his cheek and the girl laughing like a maniac; Konata was able to slip off without being noticed.

The closer she got, she quicker her heart beat. _Turn back,_ voices in her head were whispering. It wasn't until she reached the outskirts of the forest that she decided it just wasn't worth it. Not only would she get in colossal trouble, but she could get hurt. Who knew what lurked in those woods? If the Gryffindors wanted to get detention or injuries, so be it.

Konata gasped quietly as she heard footsteps approaching. She dived into a nearby bush, hoping nobody heard or saw her.

"We ready to go?" asked a voice Konata didn't recognize.

" 'Course we are. What are we waiting for, let's go before someone sees us!"

"Keep your voice down, stupid, or someone will HEAR US."

"The first year has a point, y'know." Konata covered her mouth with both hands. She knew that first year's voice all too well: it was Blaze. Without so much as thinking it through or listening to her conscience, Konata sprung from the bush and silently bolted after the group of Gryffindors once they entered the forest.

"This isn't so scary," someone remarked after a few moments of silence.

"SHUT UP! We could still be heard!" someone else hissed. Even though she was a good 15 feet behind them and silently maneuvering her way while remaining behind trees or shadows, Konata still feared someone would be able to hear her heart thudding. Though the sun still hadn't completely set, it was already pitch black in the forest. Konata tried her best to watch out for twigs or anything that'd make a sound when stepped on, but could barely see a foot in front of her. She couldn't identify a majority of the disturbing noises she could hear. She felt her eyes watering, regret pounding like a drum inside her.

"Guys, does anyone else feel like we're being watched?" asked a nervous voice.

"Duh, of course we do."

"No, wait…" Blaze's voice was speaking. "_Lumos Maxima!" _she called out. Konata, who had been peeking out from behind a tree, squeaked and ducked back into concealment.

"We know you're back there. Come out, ya coward," Blaze called. Shaking horribly, Konata gradually stepped into view.

"What a rip off, it's just Blaze's girlfriend."

"Konata…! You IDIOT! What are you doing here?" Blaze growled. Konata slowly approached them. She narrowed her eyes, looking much calmer than she felt (which was saying something, considering she looked like she'd explode into dust any moment.

"I could ask you the same thing."

Blaze groaned, motioning sharply with her hand. "We don't have time for this. Just come on, and _keep. QUIET."_ Konata nodded, shrinking down a few sizes (if possible) and slipping over to Blaze's side. It was obvious Blaze was furious that Konata had followed them, and her silence only made Konata feel worse. She didn't dare say anything, though.

"Hey… What was that?" someone whispered a while later.

"Haha, very funny."

"No, I heard it too." A few people chimed in with "Yeah, same here."

"In that case, cool. Maybe it'll be a centaur! I hear they live in this forest."

"Guys… Those aren't centaurs," Blaze muttered, slowly pointing. Konata fell rigid with abrupt fright; a group of unnaturally gigantic spiders was scurrying toward them from all sides.

The Gryffindors all backed into a tight circle, Konata tightly gripping Blaze's arm. All was silent except the snapping of the spiders' pinchers, until one Gryffindor fifth year cried out "RUN!" Miraculously, they all found a blind spot among the spiders and bolted toward where they had entered. That is, all except Blaze and Konata. "Cowards!" Blaze snapped at their backs.

"You see! This is why I followed you guys! I-I was worried something would happen, so I thought that m-maybe, if I came, th-then I could help somehow! It was really stupid, I know, 'cause I'm so weak-"

"Konata. NOT. NOW," Blaze muttered through clenched teeth. She raised her wand and began to shout a spell, when-

"BLAZE, WATCH OUT!" A spider had reared up on some of its hind legs and slammed Blaze to the ground with one of its front. Blaze cried out in pain, her wand rolling away.

"Get away from her! _BOMBARDA!" _Konata shrieked. A tiny explosion smacked into the spider, making it hiss madly and scurry off. But, there were still 4 more spiders to worry about.

"Blaze, Blaze, are you okay?" Konata asked frantically, kneeling beside her blonde friend.

"We sort of have bigger problems at the moment!"

Konata gulped, facing the colossal spiders. They were staring at them with a disgustingly hungry glint in their many eyes. Gripping her wand so tightly her knuckles turned white, Konata brought herself to her feet.

"Leave. Us. ALONE! _AVIS!_" she cried. The loud _BANG_ noise her wand made was enough to frighten off the smallest spider, but the flock of birds that exploded from its tip sent the rest running off. Once the furry beasts were gone, the birds vanished.

"Quick, come on, let's GO! Before they come back!" Konata pleaded, helping Blaze to her feet and handing her wand back to her. Blaze gave a small nod, not letting go of Konata's hand and beginning to run.

"Konata… You saved my life. You know that, right?" Blaze huffed once they made it safely out of the forest. The sun was nearly gone, leaving behind a yellow-orange glow on the horizon. Still, a few students remained throughout the grounds. Few of them, Konata noticed, were Gryffindors.

"I-I wouldn't say I did. But, are you okay? Do you need to see Madam Pomfrey? No, she'll ask what happened… Perhaps Shiro could help somehow, I doubt he'd tattle on us…"

"I'm fine. Just a little sore. Let's not tell anyone- not even Shiro- about this…"

"Not even tell me what?"

Konata and Blaze froze. They turned around slowly to see Shiro standing behind them, a curious expression on his face.

"Oh, Shiro! W-what a pleasure to see you!" Konata yelped.

Shiro narrowed his eyes, crossing his arms. "What's going on here?"

"No sense lying," sighed Blaze. "A group of the older Gryffindors- fifth and fourth years, maybe a sixth or two- decided to look around the Forbidden Forest, and I thought I'd come too. Konata saw us and was afraid we'd get hurt, so she tagged along…"

Shiro's eyes bugged nearly out of his head. "You WHAT? You absolute IDIOTS! One, you could have gotten detention or even expelled, two, you have NO idea what could be hidden in there, and three, you could've gotten hurt- no- KILLED!"

"Sorry Mum, won't do it again," Blaze muttered, rolling her eyes a bit. Shiro sighed exasperatedly.

"I mean it! Were you two even using your heads? Come on, I'm too smart to have stupid friends."

Konata felt as if her heart had stopped beating. "Y-you mean… You don't want to be our friend anymore?" she asked, her voice suddenly hoarse. "Well, mine at least, Blaze isn't stupid," she added in a whisper.

Shiro smiled gently at her, patting her shoulder. "Of course not. I'm saying that I know you girls are smarter than to go into the Forbidden Forest. Well, I suppose it's over and done with now, just promise me you won't go in again. I'm also too smart to have DEAD friends."

The girls smiled at each other, then Shiro. "We promise." The trio hugged, and Shiro whispered "But if you do go back, bring me back a centaur, hm?"

Konata and Blaze laughed. "Happy Halloween, Shiro."


	6. Chapter 6: Holiday Revelations

The next real excitement took place when the winter holidays came around. The students were given the whole week to go home with their families, but were also allowed to remain at the school if they desired. Konata went home to her parents for 3 out of the 7 days off, while Shiro went to his home for 4. The 25th of December had been quite enjoyable for him.

"Oh, wow, you're kidding! Thanks, Pops!" Shiro heard as he walked sleepily into his living room on Christmas day. The fire was ablaze in the hearth, Mischief curled up on a rug in front of it. Satoko and Sakito had tied a big red bow with a bell on it around her neck. The Christmas tree stood tall in the far corner, covered in ornaments- many of them homemade- and towered above presents. It filled the room with a delicious pine smell.

"You're welcome, Sato. Just use them wisely, my young grasshopper," Shotaro Ueda was saying, ruffling his oldest son's hair. Shiro saw that Satoshi held a colorful box of wizard fireworks. Shiro shuddered at the thought of what he might do with them.

"Oh my goodness! Look, Daddy, she's _beautiful_!" squeaked 7 year old Sana Ueda. She had unwrapped her present to reveal a brown haired, green eyed doll. Mr. Ueda kneeled beside her, allowing her to hug him tight.

"Santa told me you might like her. Of course, I had to see her myself, and she reminded me of you."

Shiro smiled softly, sitting cross-legged on the floor beside Sakura, who was gently stroking a purring Mischief. "What'd you get?" he asked curiously. Sakura pointed to an unwrapped boxed set of books. "I wanted that series for _so_ long, I'm glad Santa finally got me it." Shiro's smile darkened. Their parents had admitted to he and Satoshi that Santa isn't real when they were 10. That meant Sakura only had one year left to fully enjoy her Christmas... Poor girl.

"Are the twins still asleep?" Shiro asked his father. Mr. Ueda snorted.

"Those two? Asleep on Christmas? Honestly Shiro, do you know them at all? They're making cookies with your mum," he told him. Shiro nodded, standing and walking toward the delectable scent that drafted out of the kitchen. However, something caught his eye that made him stop dead in his tracks. Even when the twins ran out of the kitchen, covered in cookie dough, and hugged him tightly, his gaze didn't falter. After all, he was having a stare down with a majestic, orange-eyed Great Horned Owl. Shiro uttered a whistle.

"What a beauty… Whose owl _is_ this?" he inquired quietly. Sandra Ueda left the kitchen, wiping her hands on an apron, and hugged him gently from behind.

"That would be yours, darling."

Shiro's jaw dropped. "Y-you mean…?" Mr. Ueda walked up and placed his hand on his son's shoulder.

"Merry Christmas, Shiro," his parents whispered. Shiro's face lit up.

"Thank you, thank you, THANK you! He's _gorgeous…_ Oh, this is so great… A name! I need to give him a name!" Shiro thought tediously for a moment, then snapped his fingers. "I think he looks like a Jakkin."

"Looks like a bird, if you ask me," muttered Satoshi. Smirking, he retrieved a slingshot from the bookshelf and loaded it with a round ornament he'd snatched off the tree. With a glare, Satoko bolted over and knocked the slingshot out of his hands.

"_No,_ Sato! That's Shiro's birdy. Be _nice_," she demanded. Her twin brother crossed his arms and nodded sharply.

Grinning, Mr. Ueda shook his finger at Satoshi. "Can't defy the wrath of 5 year old twins, buddy."

Shiro smiled at the memory. "I planned on staying the whole week, but my parents had to work, so they thought it'd waste my time to just sit alone at home when I could be here," Konata explained to Blaze, who had stayed at Hogwarts for the entire break.

"I also wanted to stay the whole week, but Satoshi thought it was too lame to hang out with his family so he came back early, yet he didn't want to return alone so I had to come along," Shiro told them at lunch. Since very few students remained, instead of 4 giant tables in the Great Hall, there was one medium sized one instead where both teachers and children sat.

"I can hear you, ya know," called Satoshi from the other end of the table, his arm around a black haired girl. Shiro ignored him, shoving aside his plate of chicken and replacing it with a quill and written on pieces of paper.

"What are those?" Konata asked, dabbing away a hot-chocolate mustache with her napkin.

"Letters to some of my relatives. They're related to me through my mum, and they're so stuck up, fancy, and disapproving of my dad that they refuse to see us. They didn't even attend my parents' wedding! They also flat out called Satoshi a disgusting, worthless child, the nerve of them! But, they seem to think I'll turn out like my mother and like to hear from me. I wrote these letters at home, but I have to sign all of them. They're so proper I have to sign my full name," he explained rather grouchily.

Blaze glanced down at what he was writing and widened her eyes a little. Written at the bottom of each letter was:

_With love, Shiro Darrien Ueda _

"Your middle name is Darrien?" Blaze asked quietly. Shiro nodded, folding up his letters and handing them to Jakkin. "Yes, why?"

Blaze stared down at the table, biting her lip. "It's just… My father's name was Darrien."

Shiro felt as if someone had slapped him across the face and shouted "ISN'T IT OBVIOUS?" Shiro snapped his head to his left to face Blaze. "I _knew_ I'd heard the name Alexanders before! Blaze, our dads… They were best of friends!"

Blaze nodded grimly, her eyes drifting away from Shiro's. "Y-yeah… I knew since I first saw you on the train. I just didn't bring it up because I _hate_ talking about my father…" she said slowly. Shiro's expression fell. He had nearly forgotten why his dad stopped hanging out with the man who used to be his other half: Darrien Alexanders one day snapped and murdered Blaze's mother, who he'd loved with all his heart since they were 11. "Didn't even use the Unforgivable Curse, since then the Ministry might've found out… Instead he took a butcher's knife a-and… God, I don't get it! He loved Lorraine so much… She was his world… And their poor little girl, what's gonna happen to her?" Shiro had once heard his father say this to his mother. The incident had caused his father so much pain that he chose to block all things relating to Darrien Alexanders from his mind and memory.

"Blaze, I… I'm so sorry, I had no idea…" he whispered. Blaze shook her head, her eyes watering behind her glasses.

"It's okay, Shiro. I… I guess I do need to talk about it. I've never had anyone who'd listen."

"I-I don't quite know what you're talking about, but you can come to me about absolutely anything," piped Konata.

Blaze gave a tiny nod. "Thanks. But, I suppose my dad was a ticking time bomb… Slytherins are so rarely as kind as our fathers are- well, were, in my case. It was to be expected that one day the blow of being a Slytherin took its effect… One of the reasons I didn't confront you about it was that I thought you'd be afraid your dad would go through the same thing…"

Shiro gently put his hand atop Blaze's. "I've _always_ feared that, since your dad snapped… But, I feel like it won't. I mean, nobody would have thought it'd happen to your dad either, but, I just… It's hard to explain."

"No, I see what you mean. I don't think he'll go crazy either. Knock on wood…"

"Yeah. But, you know, if you ever want to get away, you're welcome at my home anytime," Shiro assured her. Blaze gave a small grin.

"Stay at a _boy's_ house? Don't you think that's a little inappropriate? I'd much rather stay with Konata."

"Y'know, I could ask my parents if that's okay with them… If you seriously want to, I'm sure you could spend summers with me," Konata exclaimed.

"You mean it?" Blaze asked, a bit incredulous.

Konata nodded sharply, her emerald eyes sparkling. "Yes, of course!"

It was silent among the trio for a while, leaving them to their own rapid thoughts. It was Shiro that broke the quiet.

"During my visit, my mum gave me a photo album she'd kept for a while. I kept looking through it and just couldn't figure out who the blonde girl playing with Draco and I was. It's hard to believe it was you, Blaze…" Konata started to question why Shiro had pictures of him playing with MALFOY, but decided it better not to ask. She hadn't yet seen him with the obnoxious and spoiled blonde; perhaps the boys weren't still friends.

Shiro opened his bag and pulled out a black, neatly kept book. He flipped randomly to the third page, but immediately regretted it. Konata and Blaze's jaws dropped, then they burst into laughter. "Look at baby Shiro! He was such a cutie!" Konata shrieked. There were two pages filled with nothing but pictures- moving, of course- from Shiro's first year of life. Blushing furiously, Shiro skimmed farther a few pages. Konata and Blaze saw that all 6 Ueda gets had two pages designated to their baby pictures.

Shiro finally came across what he'd be looking for. Konata's hand flew to her mouth. There were pages worth of Shiro, about 3 to 4 years old, with a bright little blonde boy that was unmistakably Draco Malfoy, except in the pictures, he looked happy, sweet, and quite huggable. There were pictures of him and Shiro playing tag, swimming in a lake adjacent to Shiro's house, scrambling over a husky ("His name was Tommy, he was such a sweet dog"), playing with action figures, and just plain having a good time. But in some pictures, there was a third child laughing along with them: a girl with blonde hair that went nearly down to her waist. Shiro had been right about it being difficult to distinguish her as Blaze; the girl in the picture's cheerful demeanor and lack of glasses didn't look much like her at all.

"Wow, you three were so adorable!" squeaked Konata.

"Ah, weren't we just?" agreed Shiro with a grin. When he turned the page, though, that smile faded. There were more pictures of him and Draco, from when they were 5 to when they were 8, surrounding one larger picture in the middle. It was of three men: one had spiked black hair and squinted, piercing green eyes, and he held a very young Shiro; one had glasses, dark brown hair, blue eyes, and held little Blaze; one had shoulder length, pale blonde hair, a pointed nose, quite a grim expression, and held 3 year old Draco. "_Friends forever"_ was printed above it.

"Those are your dads, huh?" Konata stated quietly. Shiro and Blaze nodded slowly. Abruptly, Shiro closed the book and stuffed it carefully into his bag.

"Well, the scenery outside is simply beautiful. How about we go for a walk?" he offered. Blaze and Konata exchanged glances, put on smiles, and nodded.

"Oh my God. Konata, WHAT are you wearing?" Blaze asked with a laugh once the trio met outside. Though her cheeks were already pink from the cold, Konata's entire face went red in embarrassment. Her mittened hands flew to cover her pink winter hat, complete with pom-poms on the strings to tie it and kitty ears on top. "M-my mum thought it was cute and bought it for me, I promised her I'd wear it- can't break a promise, you know- plus I don't have another hat! I-it's dumb, I know, b-but PLEASE don't make fun of it!" she cried.

Shiro, who had been stifling a laugh behind his gloves, walked to her side and flicked one of the pom-poms. "Oh, I won't make fun. I think it's _adorable_."

Konata sighed in exasperation. "_Adorable_ isn't necessarily a good thing."

Blaze grinned. "Come on, you should like it. One, your mum went out and bought it all for you. Two, it fits your image, looking like a 7 year old and all." At this point, you could probably roast marshmallows on Konata's face. Blaze patted her shoulder. "Don't worry sweetheart, you'll grow. Just wait until you hit pu-"

"I DON'T LIKE WHERE THIS CONVERSATION IS GOING!" interrupted Konata. Shiro, who was now blushing himself, raised his hand a little. "I second that notion." The atmosphere seemed to lift as all three of them laughed in unison.

They walked around the perimeter of the grounds, either huddling close together to conserve heat or stooping over to throw snow at each other. Blaze had to keep taking her glasses on and off, since they fogged up whenever she exhaled.

"What's that expression for? You look all sympathetic," Konata remarked as they waited for Blaze to clear her glasses while they stood beside the castle's lake. A giant squid was half surfaced, its tentacles lazily making little currents in the close-to-frozen water.

"It's just, that poor squid… The cold must be unbearable for him. I mean, that must be like living in an ice cube! Literally! Oh, I wish I could do something to help… "

Blaze just smiled and rolled her eyes, while Konata stared at Shiro like he had three heads. "Shiro. He's a GIANT. SQUID. I don't think a meteor shower would do much do him."

"Well, it WOULD take a lot to hurt 'im, but it's theorized that a meteor shower wiped out DINOSAURS."

"Oh, you know what I mean."

Shiro smiled. "Yeah, I do. Perhaps we should go inside now, before we turn into human ice pops." The girls nodded in agreement. Konata in the middle, the trio headed back to the castle arm-in-arm.

"Shiro!" called Satoshi once they got inside, shivering but grinning from ear to ear. Shiro glanced up, not surprised to see his brother's cheeks, lips, and neck dotted with lipstick mark. He nodded at Blaze and Konata. "Okay, so tell me. Which one are you taking under the mistletoe?" Shiro blinked, a bit dumbstruck. He'd become so used to having the girls as best friends that he never considered any romantic thoughts about them. Besides: he felt Blaze might critically injure any boy who so much as thought about taking her under the mistletoe, while Konata would probably blush so badly she'd either cry, run off in embarrassment, explode, or all three.

"Nobody, Satoshi. Unlike YOU, I want my first kiss to be worthwhile. I want it to be with a girl I feel I love and want to be with for a while. I refuse to have it wasted on something stupid like mistletoe, and when I'm still young," he told his brother quite matter-of-factly.

"Come ON, I started kissing girls when I was your age! Younger, maybe! But, whatever, I won't force it upon you. Good night, baby brother."

Shiro wasn't aware at all that he had started blushing. "I'm not your baby brother, Sakito is."

Satoshi ruffled his hair and kissed him behind his ear. "He's manly though. You're like a little sister, but since you're a dude, that makes you my baby brother." With a wave and a wink at Konata and Blaze, he strutted off to the Gryffindor common room.

"Well, I guess we should be getting to our common rooms too," suggested Konata. The other two nodded, Shiro still in a daze.

"Keep your wand at ready when walking through your common room, Blaze," Shiro advised, finally getting around to unwinding his silver and blue scarf.

"Don't worry, I plan to. Good night Konata. Good night Shiro."

"Good night Blaze," they replied simultaneously. They exited the Great Hall together in silence, mixed emotions and tiredness from the day finally seeping in. They parted ways at the common room entrances, said a final "good night," then disappeared until the next day.


	7. Chapter 7: Valentines and Exams

Though there weren't many more large holidays, Valentine's Day was quite an event. Shiro learned that he had a rather large amount of fan girls, while Konata had a few secret admirers herself. Blaze got chocolate gifts from 3 anonymous boys. "I'm sure MUCH more boys are crushing on you, they were just scared to approach you- even I'M a bit afraid of you- or just didn't want to start hinting toward it yet," Konata assured her as the girls sat on a blanket beside the lake. She unwrapped her third chocolate frog, ribbing off one of the legs and tossing it to Tar. Blaze just shrugged; to her, romance was about as useful as having a pet flobberworm. Still, she felt compelled to play cupid for her friends.

"So, do you have your eye on anyone?" she questioned, hesitantly grabbing an Every Flavor Bean. Konata shook her head, but blushed.

"Not particularly, no… Naturally I think some specific boys are cute, but no way would I ask them out…"

"Is one of those boys Shiro?" Blaze asked mischievously.

"Of COURSE not! I'll never think of him as more than a friend, except maybe as a brother. Nothing romantic. But, say I DID have a crush on him. Look at all the competition!"

"So you do have a crush on him?"

"Blimey, Blaze, no!" Frustrated, Konata took what appeared to be an earwax flavored bean and jammed it in Blaze's mouth.

"Mm, caramel," said Blaze with a wink. Konata groaned, but a smile seeped onto her face.

Seemingly out of nowhere, Shiro rushed to join them at the blanket, Mischief running at his heels. He sat beside them, terribly out of breath. As Mischief started grooming herself, Shiro heaved a deep sigh and used his hands to brush his normally tidy hair back into place. "I swear, you two are among the very few tolerable girls in this school. I had a whole group of them ask if I'd received their chocolates. I told them I did- you know, just to be polite- so they go and ask if I'd eaten theirs. How would I know? They didn't give me a bloody hint as to who the chocolate is from! It didn't even have MY name on it, actually. For all I know, the treats could have been for one of my roommates and just ended up on my bed! _Anyway_, the girls started fighting over whose gift was the most heartfelt, and who was the most determined to win my heart… Blimey, if you girls ever act like that, I'm feeding myself to the squid."

"_Honestly_ Shiro, like I'D ever act like that. I want to strangle those airheaded girls that do," Blaze told him, gathering up her various untouched sweets. Konata, on the other hand, was starting to work on a sugar quill.

"Seriously, Konata? That stuff is horrible for you. If you eat too much, you'll get cavities and become fat," Shiro advised her.

"The cavities part isn't too good, but some extra fat is just what she needs. She's skin and bones," grinned Blaze, pinching Konata in the ribs. Konata flinched, letting out a sigh that sent a puff of warm breath into the cold air.

"Oh, bother, you're right. I'd never be allowed this much candy at home, and for a bloody good reason, I reckon. I'll save the rest for a few days in the future… Probably should split some with my roommates…" she muttered quite disappointedly.

"Oh, poor little Konata. Come here, give Shiro and Blaze a hug," Shiro said in a rather pouty tone. Smiling a little, Konata leaned over and wrapped her arms around the two. "Happy Valentine's Day," they said in unison.

When Konata resorted to her dorm at the end of the day, she was quite puzzled and flattered to find not more chocolate on her bed, but a small bouquet consisting of 5 neatly trimmed yellow roses tied together with a pink silk ribbon. Hanging off the ribbon was a heart-shaped piece of parchment that had been painted red. All it said on the heart was: Happy Valentine's Day, Konata . Konata felt her cheeks go red, but smiled timidly as she recognized the handwriting: it was identical to her partner in Potions.

The little gift didn't faze Konata at all, especially when she learned Shiro had given very similar bouquets to Blaze, Cho Chang, and all their female professors. Besides, when word was leaked that exams were only a few months away, Konata's mind was wiped of everything except work.

"Konata, you do realize the exams aren't for a couple MONTHS," Blaze indicated when Konata asked her if she would be her tutor.

"Oh, don't remind me! I love this school so, SO much, and if I don't start studying now, I'll flunk out of it! I don't want to be a bother to you, I'll just study by myself until exams get closer," Konata replied frantically with a gulp. She never even acknowledged the Easter holidays, nor did any other students, with the amount of homework they were drowned in. Come exam time, everyone was even more worn down. By the end, Blaze and Shiro had breezed through with straight O's (Outstanding), while Konata scraped by with all E's (Exceeds Expectations) and A's (Acceptable). Before anyone knew it, the third week of June had come upon them, and the students started packing their things to return home.

Konata said teary good-byes to all her new friends as they loaded themselves onto the Hogwarts Express. She had managed to send a letter to her parents through Jakkin, and they agreed that Blaze would be allowed to spend the summer holiday with them, so those two didn't say any parting words to each other.

It seemed that Konata and Blaze stayed in the arms of Shiro the longest. "We simply MUST meet up over the break. Blaze, you have Xalia, and I have Jakkin, so we'll at least be able to keep in touch. I'll miss you girls SO much," Shiro said quietly as Konata and Blaze hugged him tightly. They nodded, too upset that they'd be leaving him to speak.

"Well… Best be going," Shiro whispered as the train whistled. They nodded, then proceeded to the train. They planned on sitting together, but halfway down the aisle Shiro seemed to be caught up in something. When Konata glanced back, she saw a pale, blonde-haired boy speaking to him. Malfoy… She shook her head, reminding herself that the boys had been close since they were very young. It took a lot not to be aggravated that Shiro sat with Malfoy and his ugly companions, but she managed.

"Good-bye, Hogwarts," Blaze murmured as the train began moving down the tracks.

"See you in a few months," Konata added. The girls simultaneously turned to each other and smiled. What an amazing, fantastic, truly unforgettable year they'd had.


	8. Chapter 8: Year Two

Konata Verdent and Blaze Alexanders experienced the hands down best summer vacation of their lives. Konata only had a handful of friends at her Muggle school, but she wasn't terribly close to them and didn't see them often over the break. Blaze had been a loner at her school, and only returned home to be threatened- and sometimes physically abused- by her father, so that she could go to bed every night with a girl she could truly call a friend and two humans that acted as her parents felt like a miracle.

They never got to visit Shiro due to the distance between their homes, but they wrote each other at least twice a week, every week. In about every letter Shiro sent, he mentioned Satoshi having a new girlfriend. He didn't take too fondly to any of them, for he and Satoshi only demonstrated a brotherly relationship when they weren't around. In the last letter he sent, however, he said he had a surprise for them and was talking quite lowly about his elder brother.

Blaze celebrated her 12th birthday on July 28th, and for the first time since her mom died, she awoke to the words "Happy birthday!" and received a cake. Mr. and Mrs. Verdent gave her the option of doing whatever she wanted, so they spent the day at the ocean.

During the last week of August, they took a trip down to Diagon Alley. As they picked up the textbooks they needed, they discussed what they thought the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor ("They must be awfully fond of this Gilderoy Lockhart fellow, he's the author of ALL our required books!") would be like, since Professor Quirrell had died "under unknown circumstances." They ate some ice cream and talked, then headed home in high spirits.

The girls awoke eagerly on September first; even Tar and Xalia seemed to be excited. Konata's parents drove them down to King's Cross, about 20 times more nervous than Konata or Blaze.

"Would you look around you? We're getting all these weird stares, honey," Mr. Verdent muttered. Konata shrugged, continuing to push her cart with a spring in her step. This year, she'd decided to replace her pigtails with a single side-ponytail.

"So what? They probably just think we're some nerds going to an anime convention or something," Konata remarked. Her dad, a man with windblown black hair and thin-rimmed glasses, bit his lip and proceeded on without a verbal complaint. In his head, on the other hand…

"Oi! Here's the column!" Konata suddenly called out. Blaze scoped the area to make sure no Muggles were looking, then turned to face Konata's parents. "I thank you for your hospitality, Mr. and Mrs. Verdent. This was the best summer of my life thanks to you. See you later!"

"Wait, Blaze, what are you-" Before Konata's mom could finish, Blaze disappeared through the column. Konata spun around, grinning from ear to ear. "I'm sorry you guys, but Muggles can't come through. I love you!" She hugged both her parents tight around the waist; they hugged her back.

Eyes watering, Konata's mom kissed her head and whispered, "You be good now. Keep your head high and out of trouble, get good grades, maybe meet new friends… And don't forget to write us."

"Yes, Mum. Now c'mon, you're gonna create a scene, and I gotta go!" Without further ado, Konata gripped the bar of her cart and dashed through the column. The sight, sounds, and atmosphere that greeted her were the same as last year, but the feelings bubbling up inside her were quite different.

It didn't take her long to find Blaze, since she had waited for her. They started walking toward the train, too excited to speak, when Konata felt two hands cover her eyes. "Give me a hug and nobody gets hurt," a very familiar masculine voice whispered in her ear. With a squeak, Konata immediately pried the person's fingers off her eyes and turned around to wrap her arms around them.

"Shiro! It's great to see you!" she and Blaze exclaimed in unison. Shiro took a step back to make room for Blaze to hug him as well, and smiled. "You too. I've missed you _so_ much!"

After a few long seconds, he released them and looked them both up and down. "Oh, wow, the months have been good to you girls, huh? I see you're growing your hair out, Blaze, it looks good on you. And have you grown a few inches, Konata?"

Konata nodded animatedly, standing on her tip-toes. "Uh huh! I grew 3 whole inches taller over the summer!"

Shiro put on his creepiest smile and said in a seductive tone, "Oh, I wasn't talking about your height."

Blaze snickered as Konata's face grew crimson. Her hands instinctively flew to her chest, as if someone had just ripped her shirt off. Shiro laughed, ruffling her hair.

"Kidding, kidding! I like the new hairstyle, by the way."

Still quite dazed, Konata just gave a small nod and a squeak that could have been interpreted as a "thank you."

"So, in your last letter, you said you had a surprise?" Blaze reminded him. Konata's face returned to its normal complexion as Shiro nodded and smiled.

"Ah, right! Come here, I'll show you." Fetching their carts, the girls followed him. He led them to a group of 7 people, one of which they knew. "I don't think I've introduced you to all of my family, have I? Here are my little sisters…" He motioned with his hand to 3 girls, one with curly, golden-reddish-brown hair that fell down to her shoulders, a shorter one with straight short hair that was a light shade of brown, and a little one with black hair pulled into two unruly high pigtails. "Sakura starts Hogwarts next year, but Sana still has 2 years to go. Satoko is almost 6. This is my only little brother, Sakito: Satoko's twin," Shiro explained. Konata and Blaze nodded, their shock at learning what a large family Shiro had returning to them.

"And, these are my parents," Shiro concluded. Mrs. Ueda, who was holding something wrapped in a sheet, nodded and said "It's a pleasure to meet you, dears." Mr. Ueda, on the other hand, grinned mischievously and took a step forward.

"Ah, so these are the two candidates for Shiro's wives!" he exclaimed. Konata's face flushed; Blaze seemed unfazed.

"Shut UP, Dad! I've explained to you COUNTLESS times that they're no more than my friends," Shiro groaned. Mr. Ueda laughed, ruffling Shiro's hair. He looked at Konata and Blaze, kindness replacing the playfulness flickering in his eyes. "It's an honor to meet you girls. Shiro's told me so much about you, I'm glad he managed to make some friends."

"Now then, before the train arrives, I should show you my surprise," Shiro suddenly said. He walked over to his mother, taking the lumpy sheet out of her arms. Konata tilted her head curiously, then she and Blaze both gasped a little when a voice squeaked sleepily, "Me was having happiest dream of dreams, me was! Kind Master Shiro did not do the leavings, oh no! He stayed with Opey forever and ever…"

"I'm sorry bud, but I have to go. When you get stronger, you can always visit me," Shiro told whatever had spoken. He pulled down the sheet to reveal one of the most peculiar creatures Konata and Blaze had ever laid eyes on. It had bat-like ears that appeared too big in comparison to its head, and only a few strands of hair on its head. It had a face sort of like a pug's, except its nose was surprisingly human-like and it had large, adorable hazel eyes. The creature was about the size of a human toddler.

"I think I've read about those things… Is that a house elf?" Blaze asked, her eyes locked on the strange little creature.

Shiro nodded, his expression matching that of a man who had just become a father. "Mum found him in terrible condition in the forest next to our house. She, Sakura and I are helping to nurse the little guy back to health… He says his name is Opey," he explained in an affectionate tone.

"More like _Dopey_. Damn thing can't do squat," Satoshi muttered, throwing a bitter glare at the elf. Shiro ignored the comment.

"We're probably going to keep him, but not use him as a slave or servant… I won't be doing that, at least. I'll treat him as family," he told the girls, snuggling the elf into his chest.

"Like he'd be good for doing any work anyway."

"Oh shut up, Satoshi!" Shiro gently handed Opey back to his mother as the scarlet Hogwarts Express train rolled into view. "Be good," Shiro told him, patting his head. He said his good-byes and gave his hugs, then turned to Blaze and Konata.

"Well, that's enough standing around. Let's get going!" The girls loaded their luggage onto the train, had a brief conversation about the school with Shiro's parents, and then searched for an empty compartment. However, it seemed that in the time spent talking to Mr. and Mrs. Ueda, a majority of the other students had settled themselves on the train. The trio stumbled upon a booth that was empty except for one girl. She had long, straggly blonde hair and wore a rather peculiar necklace consisting of bottle caps. She was lost in a book entitled _The History of the Crumple-Horned Snorkack, _and gave off an aura of dottiness.

"Would you mind if we shared this booth with you?" Blaze inquired, despite Shiro's silent motioning for her to move on. The girl looked up slowly, almost like she was in a trance.

"Oh, yes. That would be lovely." Shiro and Blaze made for the seat across from her; Konata hesitantly sat beside the girl.

"It's alright, I don't bite," the girl told her. Her voice was rather high in pitch and had an in-the-clouds feel to it.

"Yes, of course, I'm sorry. My name is Konata Verdent. I don't believe I've seen you here before."

The girl closed her book and marked her page with what appeared to be very eccentric sunglasses. "Yes, I am a first year. My name is Luna Lovegood. It's so wonderful to meet you. Are you a second year?"

"Oh, yes, all three of us are. These are my friends Blaze Alexanders and Shiro Ueda," Konata answered.

"Nice to meet you," they both said. Blaze spoke with a friendly tone, but Shiro spoke softly like he was distracted or deep in thought.

It was silent for a few moments, Luna's anticipating smile giving the compartment an awkward atmosphere. Konata decided to break the quiet. "I like your earrings… Are those, um, radishes that they're made out of?"

"Yes, they are, thank you. I like your ponytail," Luna replied in the same type of voice she'd spoken in the whole time.

As they got closer to the castle, the girls decided it was time to change into their robes. They felt a bit uncomfortable changing with Luna in the room, though she didn't seem to mind at all. Shiro had slipped into Draco's neighboring compartment to change. He returned to see Luna stroking Mischief and murmuring incomprehensibly to her.

Soon enough, Hogwarts castle came into view. Luna pressed her hand against the window, smiling dreamily. "My, it'd grand."

"Oh, it gets better," Shiro assured her with a smile as wide as the ocean. Persuading Mischief into her carrier, Shiro stood up straight and declared, "Hogwarts, here we come!"


	9. Chapter 9: Konata's Crush

The trio said good-bye to Luna and wished her luck as she proceeded to the line of nervous first years. This year, they wouldn't be taking the boats; they would be driven to the castle in horseless carriages. When they approached them, Blaze halted and Konata staggered backward. "What is _that_?" she gasped. Shiro grinned, continuing toward the stagecoach. "It's a carriage, Konata. Scary, is it?"

Konata shook her head rapidly, shaking and backing away, now speechless. Blaze, who appeared a bit shaken herself, slowly pointed to the front of the cart. "I'm pretty sure she's referring to those things _pulling_ the carriages," she murmured. Shiro blinked, following Blaze's finger with his eyes. He playfully knocked on her head. "Did you happen to forget over the summer that this is a school for MAGIC? It's the norm here for the carriages to pull themselves."

"Shiro, what ARE you talking about? There are things pulling the carriages. Can't you see them…?"

Shiro sighed, a bit of impatience inching into his expression. "No, naturally I can't, there isn't anything there… What do these things look like, hm?"

"Winged horses," Konata and Blaze said in unison. Konata started to explain more, but looking at the seemingly invisible creatures seemed to silence her voice box.

"They're sort of reptilian… And, they look more like horse skeletons with bat wings than Pegasus," Blaze indicated. Shiro's eyes widened.

"Oh, wait! If I'm not mistaken, those things… Those are Thestrals! Have both of you… seen death and fully accepted the incident?"

Both girls nodded morosely. "I was in the room shortly after my dad stabbed my mum," Blaze told him quietly.

"And I held my great-grandmother's hand as she passed," Konata said in an equally as soft voice.

"I see… I've read about these creatures called Thestrals. They're only visible to those who have seen death, but if you never fully accepted it, then you can't see them. I'm sorry I started thinking you two are nutters… Come now, we should get going."

The girls nodded in silent agreement.

The sorting was relatively similar to the previous year's, except for the introduction of the new DADA teacher: Gilderoy Lockhart himself. Nevertheless, Konata, Blaze, and Shiro were excited to see the sorting from another point of view. Luna was sorted into Ravenclaw, so naturally she sat with Shiro. He felt uneasy about this at first, but by the end of the magnificent feast, Shiro decided he had most certainly made a new friend.

Except for Lockhart's disastrous, childish lessons, this year seemed almost uneventful. That is, until spread of word that something deep in Hogwarts called the Chamber of Secrets had been opened for the first time in 50 years. The students pressed Professor Binns to explain that it was a secret chamber created by Salazar Slytherin, who despised wizards who weren't purebloods. Rumor, as well as legend, stated that a monster lie deep inside the chamber.

"Don't act on such high alert, Konata, this is all rubbish. Muggle born hating monster my foot! Nobody's gotten hurt, have they?" Shiro reasoned one day. Konata looked up from her Astronomy homework, terror suddenly ablaze in her eyes. "Haven't you heard? Mrs. Norris- you know, Filch's cat that patrols the halls at night- was _petrified_. And Filch is a Squib! No, not a Muggle born, but not a pureblood either!" she squeaked.

Shiro shook his head, patting her shoulder. "It's all _rubbish_, Konata. Don't worry. And put that homework down, we're on a break."

Konata got to her feet, avoiding eye contact with Shiro. "I'm sorry, but I have to go now… Blaze is going to have a practice session with Neville and I. Good-bye." Before Shiro could protest, she hurried off with her books clasped to her chest.

"She's been acting awfully odd lately…" Shiro remarked under his breath. With a small shrug, he gathered up his bag and went back inside.

The months seemed to fly by. After last year, Blaze and Konata didn't dare leave the school grounds on Halloween. Satoshi and Shiro spent all 7 days of Christmas break at home, Shiro to spend time with Opey and Satoshi to play pranks on the poor little elf. Konata and Blaze stayed with Mr. and Mrs. Verdent the entire break.

Konata was still acting odder than usual, disappearing often and working herself harder than normal. Shiro often asked if she was okay, each time receiving the answer "Of course, I'm fine," but Blaze chose not to question her about it. It wasn't until February 14th that Konata seemed to drift back to her old self.

"Why looky here, Shiro! Konata's got even more admirers than last year," Blaze commented with a smirk, eyeing Konata's small pile of valentines. Shiro didn't even bother to read his stack this year, and wrapped up ¾ of the candy he received to send home to his siblings.

Konata scrambled to hide her cards from view. "No, I actually have less than last year… Most of them are from one person, I've been getting them for months. They write these cheesy little poems, it's so sweet… I-I feel kind of bad though, because I've been writing letters to the boy _I_ have a crush on," she said quickly. In a flash, Blaze snatched up one of the pink pieces of parchment and scanned it over. She made a sort of choking noise.

"Oh my _gosh._ I'd recognize this hand anywhere. Konata, your biggest secret admirer is LONGBOTTOM!"

Konata's face went crimson. "A-are you kidding? My, that's… wonderful! Because, th-the boy I like IS Neville!" Blaze and Shiro's jaws dropped.

"He is?" they shrieked.

Konata nodded, fidgeting in embarrassment. "I-I mean, he's so CUTE! Plus, we have so much in common… We're clumsy, we're looked down upon, we excel in Herbology, we're bullied…"

"You're bullied? By who?" Shiro asked, becoming serious.

Konata gave a motion with her hand, waving Shiro's words away. "Never mind. I think he might return the feeling… I mean, half of the time I've disappeared, I've been practicing spells and studying with him. And if it IS him who's been sending these notes…"

Blaze firmly placed her hand on her shoulder, eyes flickering. "I say ask him!"

"Y-you think I should?"

"Absolutely! Go get 'im."

Konata nodded, cheeks turning even pinker. She stood up, brushed off her robes and straightened her ponytail, took a deep breath, and left calling out, "Neville!"

Blaze whistled. "Konata and Neville, huh? I should've seen that one coming." She turned to Shiro. "Do you like anyone yet?"

Shiro bit the inside of his cheek, looking away timidly. "I _might_ fancy a certain blonde companion…"

Blaze couldn't help but blush. "Oh do you now…?"

Shiro glanced up and grinned. "Oh my gosh, don't think I'm referring to YOU, Blaze. No offense, of course. It's just, I've found myself falling for… _Luna_."

Blaze nodded, her shoulders falling in relief. "Oh, cute. And good. It'd be so awkward to have my best friend crushing on me…"

Shiro laughed. "I'll say. So. Who does Ms. Alexanders have her eye on?"

Blaze shrugged. "I haven't found my someone yet. I will eventually, I'm sure, but we're still pretty young."

"Mm, true. I don't know if I should advance toward Luna just yet… I mean, she's still a first year. That might be, you know, inappropriate. I'll wait a while before I start getting real serious about the whole relationship saga."

The two sat chatting and munching on chocolate until Konata returned about 20 minutes later. She ran toward them, stumbling in the snow and huffing big clouds of breath into the air. Either she was freezing, or she was blushing a whole lot.

"Oh, my goodness… I. have. a. BOYFRIEND!" she shrieked. Blaze and Shiro were on their feet in a flash, smiling from ear to ear.

"Neville likes you back?"

Konata nodded animatedly. "I came over, and before I even said anything, he asked me to be his girlfriend! Poor bloke was shaking like an earthquake… But naturally I said yes! Hugged him too, to show I was sincere… Oh, I'm so happy!"

"And we're happy FOR you," Blaze and Shiro told her. They opened their arms to bring her into a hug.


	10. Chapter 10: Petrified

From that day on, Konata was back to her regular self- if not a cheerier person- and though she did spend lots of time with Neville, she didn't disappear nearly as much as she had. But come the beginning of March, her enthusiasm began to falter until it faded altogether. Her disappearing acts started again. And to make matters worse, a few more students had been found petrified.

"Excuse me… Shiro?" a feminine voice said one day. Shiro looked up from his novel to see a girl with bushy brown hair facing him. He was feeling quite out of it, since he hadn't spoken to Konata for a couple of days. "Oh, hello… You're Hermione Granger, correct?"

The Gryffindor girl nodded. "Yes, I am. First of all, I hope you're not trying to read that book, because you have it upside down. Second, have you been looking for your friend Konata? I had been, um, passing by that out of order girl's lavatory, and heard talking, so I peeked inside… Konata was in there, talking to herself… I told Blaze, but she was busy helping Snape clean his classroom or something of that sort, so she told me to find you," she explained.

Shiro was on his feet in a flash. "Out of order girl's lavatory, you say? Alright, thank you for finding me, Ms. Granger!" Without further ado, he bolted inside. After many twists and turns and avoiding of teachers, he finally came across an old lavatory marked "Out of order." He carefully opened the door a crack, peering inside. Sure enough, Konata sat cross legged in the middle of the floor. Hermione had been right: it looked as if she was talking to herself. Shiro heard her giggle rather cheerlessly and say "I know, right?"

"Konata…?" he said hesitantly, opening the door further.

Konata's head shot around, panic seeping into her expression. "Shiro! What are you doing here…? This is a _girl's _lavatory, you know!"

Shiro opened the door all the way, closing it behind him as she strode inside. "Konata, what's been going on with you lately? We've been wo-"

"She's right, you know. Boys aren't allowed in here," said a sickeningly high-pitched, squeaky, melancholic voice. Shiro went rigid, taking a few steps backward as he saw who had spoken. The girl had round glasses, and two black pigtails. She wore a Ravenclaw attire. But what was truly off about her was that she was translucent, gave off a bit of a blue glow, and moved almost weightlessly.

"You're a…a… a-a… You're a g-ghost!" Shiro gasped, starting to shake.

The phantom floated over to him, looking rather agitated. "So what if I AM? Do I disgust you? Are you going to LAUGH at me? Or, perhaps…" A look of amusement spread across her deathly pale face. "Perhaps you're _afraid_ of me?"

Shiro nodded, gulping and groping the door for its handle. The ghost girl let out an earsplitting series of shrieks that could have been interpreted as laughter.

"This boy is afraid of little old _ME_! How _WONDERFUL_! Someone for me to see what it's like to be giving out swirlies instead of receiving them, hm, Konata?"

Konata bolted to Shiro's side, taking his hands away from the door. "No, Myrtle, it's okay. This is my friend." It was hard to determine if the ghost- Myrtle, Konata had called her- looked relieved or disappointed.

"I, er… I-it, it's nothing PERSONAL, M-Ms. Myrtle, I-I'm just utterly TERRIFIED of g-ghosts," Shiro whispered.

"This is news to me… Shiro, there are constantly ghosts roaming around Hogwarts, and you never react to them," Konata remarked.

"O-oh, I suck it up when I'm with other people, since there's safety in numbers… But oh, how they make me scream mentally… The idea of living dead- ghosts, vampires, zombies, you name it- makes my insides feel ice cold."

"Well, Moaning Myrtle here wouldn't hurt you. She's a good ghost. The best ghost I've ever met," Konata said in a tone that obviously stated she was fond of this Moaning Myrtle. Myrtle giggled, running a hand through one dark pigtail. "Oh, _thank_ you, Konata. You're the best witch I've ever met, certainly… Never laughed at me, or threw things at me, or tried to make me suffer even more than I usually do… You've been a FRIEND to me."

"I'm very glad to hear that, Myrtle. You've been my friend too."

Shiro calmed down a few levels. "Konata… Is this where you've been disappearing to?" he asked. Konata flinched as if Shiro was holding his wand an inch away from her face.

"Yes… I-it has. Since October, people have been bullying me… Calling me weak, and ugly, and dumb, and a… a mudblood. When I ran away in tears one day, this was the first place I came across in which I couldn't hear their laughter. I met Myrtle- well, her ghost- and learned that we had a lot in common… S-so I started coming down here to talk to her," she explained quietly. Shiro's expression looked more guilty than angry.

"Konata… Why didn't you come to Blaze and I from the start? We could have helped you!"

"I… I didn't want you to worry…"

"Do you honestly think we wouldn't be worried when you started acting out of character and vanishing on us?" They both shrunk down a bit at Shiro's raise of tone.

Konata's eyes began to water. "I'm… sorry… It was a dumb decision to hide everything from you guys, I-I know, but… W-what can you expect? I'm a worthless, stupid mudblood."

Shiro's eyes widened. He lunged forward and grabbed Konata by the collar, momentarily pulling her feet off the ground. "Don't you ever, ever, ever, EVER say that again! You are NOT worthless! You show more determination than anyone I've met, and can read stars like the alphabet and grow plants like it's common knowledge! You're NOT stupid; you're bloody brilliant! And a- it feels disgusting to even say this word- mudblood… How could you say that, Konata? You're lovely, and sweet, and brave, and the best friend anyone could ever ask for. So WHAT if your parents are Muggles? I hear they're very kind people. Frankly, I wouldn't care if you had the blood of a troll; I think you're PERFECT."

Tears automatically escaped Konata's eyes. She gripped Shiro's robes, burying her face in his chest as he began to stroke her hair. "I'm so sorry ,Shiro! Those are the nicest things ANYBODY has EVER said to me, thank you so much… It's not that I didn't tell you guys what was wrong because I didn't trust you, please know that! I-I just-"

"Shhh, it's okay, I understand. I'll see to it that those jerks leave you be. Satoshi knows EVERYBODY, and people like those bullies practically kiss the ground he walks on. I'll get him to make them lay off. If you'd like, I could go find him now," Shiro said softly. Konata sniffled and gave a small nod.

"That would… That would be nice, thanks. I-I'll go back to my common room," she murmured. Shiro nodded, ruffling her hair gently. He lifted his eyes to find Myrtle, and was quite relieved to see she was now hiding in a stall. He took Konata's hand and led her out of the bathroom.

"Thanks, Sato, I appreciate it," Shiro said a while later. He had convinced his brother to make the people bullying Konata leave her alone, and the boys were now heading back to their dorms.

"No problem, baby brother. You know, you've got the best of both worlds. Looks AND brains…"

"You think I have looks?" Shiro asked, blinking incredulously.

Satoshi halted by a long mirror, putting his arm around his brother's shoulders. "Naturally! I mean, you look just like your big brother!"

Shiro sighed. He was fully aware of the similarity between him and Satoshi; nonetheless, he looked at their reflection to humor his brother. Noticing movement in the background, he tilted his head and squinted. "Hey, what's…?"

"Alexanders, Verdent, I'm glad I found you…" huffed Professor McGonagall. Blaze had been tutoring Konata and Neville, who were sitting quite close to each other. They all looked up.

"Girls, you're going to have to come with me…" Konata and Blaze exchanged nervous glances, then got to their feet. Konata kissed Neville on the cheek (which made him blush tenfold) before trotting off after Blaze and McGonagall.

Their heartbeats increased as they realized the Gryffindor headmistress was leading them up toward the hospital wing. They felt their stomachs tie into knots as the woman grimly opened the door. Neither of them were prepared for the sight that greeted them.

"SHIRO!" they shouted, bolting to the bedside. Their friend was lying there, statue-like, his eyes widened in abrupt terror with his arm in a position as if he was in the middle of shoving someone away. The girls' eyes drifted to the bed beside his, in which Satoshi lay. His expression was identical to Shiro's, and his arm looked like it was around the shoulders of an invisible person lying beside him.

"It's… It's Salazar Slytherin's monster! It got them! But WHY? Th-their father is a pureblood…!" Konata cried, kneeling next to Shiro's unmoving body.

"But their mother is a Squib, Konata… The monster petrified Filch's cat, and he is a Squib…" Blaze reminded her in a morose whisper.

"Why did it have to be _him_, of all people! Why couldn't it have been me instead? I-I mean, I'm a Muggle born!" Konata shrieked, tears cascading down her cheek. Blaze gave a half-hearted shrug.

"Don't worry, girls… Professor Sprout is working on a potion that will revive everyone who has been petrified. We just have to wait for the mandrakes to be fully grown," Madam Pomfrey assured them quietly. Konata bit her lip, nodding and wiping her eyes on her sleeve. She shakily got to her feet, caressing Shiro's stone-cold cheek.

"A-alright." She felt like saying more, but couldn't seem to find the words.

A month or so went by before the mandrakes were old enough to be chopped into the healing potions. Once completed, it was fed to all the petrified students. It was learned that the monster was a basilisk: a creature that caused death when one looked into its eyes. However, nobody had managed to look it in the eye; they all saw it reflected through something, fortunately.

When Shiro entered the Great Hall with Satoshi on his heels, Konata and Blaze bolted out of their seats and dashed over to him. They hugged him so tightly he nearly fell over. "We're so glad you're back!" they gasped, nearly in tears. Shiro wrapped his arms around both of them, at a loss for words.

"What, doesn't anybody care that I'M okay?" said Satoshi. The others laughed and pulled him into their group hug. Just when they thought the moment couldn't get any better, Dumbledore announced that exams were canceled. The hall erupted with cheers (from everyone except for Hermione) and the feast appeared, thus bringing the events of the second year to a close.

"Still going to write us, right?" Blaze confirmed a week or so later as they awaited the train at Hogwarts Station.

"Naturally. Where's that Konata? I need to give her a big hug before our departure." At Shiro's words, Konata walked into view, hugging Neville's arm tightly.

"Let's keep in touch, hm?" she suggested.

Neville nodded, patting her hand. "Of course. See you next year?"

Konata nodded, suddenly blushing. "Yes. See you next year."

"I'll miss you, Konata," Shiro called. Konata trotted over into his open arms, Neville behind her.

"You too, Shiro. See you?"

"Yeah. See you." At the sound of the train whistle, the trio, accompanied by Neville, boarded the train, wrapping up their second year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.


	11. Chapter 11: Shiro's Separation

"Okay, Blaze! We are officially THIRD YEARS!" Konata cried enthusiastically, hopping off the Hogwarts Express. Blaze jumped off behind her, grinning brightly.

"Uh huh! I wish Shiro had sat with us on the train, though… Wonder why he sat with Malfoy and his cronies?"

Konata shrugged, feeling a pang of uneasiness at the memory of how Shiro had looked away and allowed Draco to close their compartment door when the two girls said hi to their friend. Still, she didn't want that to ruin her first day back at the magnificent school she'd come to think of as home.

It wasn't until they were swept into the Great Hall that Konata and Blaze saw Shiro again. He was sitting alone at the farthest end of the Ravenclaw table, which was odd; he was always surrounded by a group of friends, or at least sitting beside someone. "Think we should talk to him…?" Konata asked. Blaze thought for a moment, then nodded. "Might as well find out what's up."

Konata took a silent deep breath and trotted over to him. The boys that Konata recognized as Shiro's roommates shot her an alarmed look and made motions at her, mouthing things like "No!" and "Don't do it!" Still, she put on her cheeriest smile and exclaimed, "Shiro! It's great to see you!"

Shiro slowly turned to face her, wearing a hate-filled expression. "Get out of here, Verdent."

Konata's smile faded automatically. "Verdent…? Shiro, what's…?"

"Are you deaf? I said get out of here," Shiro growled.

Blaze pulled on Konata's sleeve. "I think we should go," she whispered. Konata shook her head, pulling her arm away from Blaze's hand.

"Shiro, if something's bothering you, you can tell us! We're here for you! And if you don't want to share, that's perfectly okay, but-"

"If you really gave a crap about my feelings, you'd get the hell away from me." Konata's jaw dropped. If there was one thing Shiro never dared do, it was cuss. Even the smallest words like damn and hell were erased from his vocabulary.

"Shiro, I-I…"

Shiro's eyes flared with anger. "Would you get out of here? Leave me alone!"

"But I just want to help!" Konata cried. Blaze shook her head, muttering, "Konata, let's GO!"

Shiro got to his feet, whipping out his wand. He held it up to Konata's throat, gripping her hair with the other hand. "Don't make me hurt you. Mark my words, I will if you don't back off," Shiro hissed through clenched teeth. Eyes watering, Konata squeaked the words "I'm sorry" and ran off to the Hufflepuff table, her double braids flapping behind her.

Blaze glared suspiciously at Shiro, turning and heading back to her own table. It was then she realized that the whole time Konata was talking to Shiro, she received the feeling that she was being watched from the direction of the Slytherin table. She felt her chest tighten as she saw Malfoy give Shiro a thumbs-up.

Later that day, after talking over the situation, Blaze and Konata decided to confront Satoshi. When they located him in the hallway, he was chatting with a first year girl who Blaze immediately recognized as Sakura. She had been sorted into Gryffindor that morning. When she hugged her brother and walked away, Konata and Blaze approached Satoshi.

"Why hello, my dears," he grinned, winking.

"Yes yes hi. What's the deal with your brother?" exclaimed Konata. Satoshi's smile faded.

"Oh God… I swear, that kid's been so screwed up lately… Though, I can't blame him." Blaze raised an eyebrow. "Why is he acting so out of character?"

Satoshi sighed. "You see…. Our family lives in this Muggle-free village, concealed by mountains: dragon territory. They've always left us alone so long as we left THEM alone, but over the summer, this one attacked our village. It was a nightmare. The Malfoys had been visiting at the time, and…" Satoshi transitioned into flashback mode.

"OW! Damn lizard…!" Satoshi growled, clutching his bleeding arm. He groped the ground for his wand, even though he knew very well he'd get expelled if he used it. Though, with a dragon bite in his arm, expulsion from school was the last thing on his mind.

"Satoshi! There you are!" yelled a frantic Draco. His skin was paler than usual (if possible), his messy bleach blonde hair sticking to his forehead in strands.

"Draco! Where's Shiro?" Satoshi asked weakly.

"I don't know… I was hoping you would." Suddenly, a sharp "NO!" rang out throughout the village.

"Shiro!" the two boys gasped in unison.

"You're a bloody mess… Go get someone to clean you up, I'll find Shiro," stated Draco. Satoshi nodded half-heartedly and shakily got to his feet.

"Shiro! I've finally found you!" Draco cried once he came across his friend. Shiro was frozen on his knees, his eyes widened in horror. For a moment, Draco feared the dragon was poisonous and had found then bit him, but he saw that, although barely, he was still breathing correctly. He immediately ran over to him and rapidly shook his shoulders.

"Shiro! Speak to me!" he demanded. Shaking horribly, Shiro gulped and looked behind Draco. Draco glanced over his own shoulder, and gasped. Bloody and unmoving were Shiro's parents, eyes still widened in terror with their arms still gripping each other. Mr. Ueda's broken wand had rolled out of his hand.

"Oh, Shiro… I-I…" Draco had been brought up to never feel sympathy, so he didn't understand the throbbing in his chest. Before he even started trying to comprehend the feeling, he felt a shadow cast over him. The dragon jumped off the roof of someone's crushed, burning house- the reason Shiro's parents decided they best go outside- and was approaching them with bared teeth.

"Shiro… We have to go," Draco whispered.

"No… I can't…"

"They're dead. There's nothing you can do to help them at this point."

"No, I, _CAN'T_. It scratched me in the leg earlier before flying off… Its claws are poisonous, I can't move…" His voice was a choked whisper.

Draco bit his lip, cursing under his breath. Sure, Shiro wasn't a Slytherin, and the boys hadn't been getting along as much as they used to, but he couldn't let him die. He glanced at his wand, but dismissed the thought immediately. No way would he risk breaking a wizardry law. He stood up straight, scooping up a handful of dirt. "Hey, you great dumb oaf. Come and get me." He chucked the dirt in the dragon's eyes, causing it to screech in aggravation as he bolted off into the nearby forest.

Draco scrambled up a tree, the dragon close behind. He brought himself high up into the branches, his heart thudding like a drum. The dragon flew up to the same height as Draco, then during the brief second at which it lunged for him, Draco jumped. The dragon crashed through the branches, flailing angrily. It eventually knocked down the tree amid its confusion, causing a domino effect among the surrounding trees. After hitting the ground, Draco groaned, rubbing his neck as he precariously sat up. Though he was aching all over, he got to his feet and dragged himself to Shiro's side.

"Are you okay?" he asked in a murmur. Shiro nodded very slowly.

"The feeling is returning to my leg… And, thanks for saving me… It… It was lucky your quick little plan worked," he whispered. Draco glanced at the corpses of Mr. and Mrs. Ueda.

"I don't think luck was present today," he muttered morosely. The shock gradually seeped out of Shiro's expression. Pressing his forehead against Draco's shoulder, he wept. "Shiro!" cried two voices.

"Sakura, Satoshi, thank the Lord…!" He wasn't sure where his brother had gotten to, but he did know his sister had gone to the town market, which was currently missing a wall and roof. Shiro spotted three small creatures approaching them.

"Master Shiro! Opey found Shiro's pets, he did! They is safe! Mean flying lizard did not get them!" their house elf called. Shiro shakily reached out to scratch Mischief's head and allowed Jakkin to land on his shoulder. "What a relief… But… Where are the twins and Sana?" he asked hesitantly.

Sakura had obviously been trying very hard to look strong, but now burst into tears. "Oh, Shiro! They were playing at the Merson's home… A-and LOOK!" Shaking terribly, she pointed at a pile of flaming debris that had once been the home of the Merson family.

"Maybe… Maybe they got out…?" Shiro suggested.

Sakura shook her head, falling to her knees. "I just walked by… They're still in there, b-but, they're… They're DEAD!"

Shiro was speechless. His little siblings… They were just children! They couldn't be DEAD! But, glancing over his shoulder at his parents' bodies, he realized the cruel reality of the situation.

Sakura followed his gaze and started sobbing, somehow, harder than before. "MUM! DAD!" she screamed. She shook her head, burying her face in her hand. A tear rolled down Satoshi's face as he pulled Sakura and Shiro into a tight hug. He even made room for Opey to join in. "At least we have each other," he whispered.

"Draco," called the cold voice of Lucius Malfoy. His expression was sickeningly apathetic. "Come. We're leaving."

Draco stared at the Ueda kids, his eyes widened. In his head, he said "We can't just LEAVE them!" but the words that came out of his mouth were, "Yes, Father." He reluctantly got to his feet, patting Shiro's back one last time.

"W-wait. Draco…"

"Yeah…?"

"You… saved my life. Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?" Any previous soft feelings completed left Draco's brain. A small smirk formed on his lips. "We'll discuss this later."

"Oh my God, that's horrible…! I'm so sorry…" Blaze whispered in present time. Konata had her hand clasped over her mouth, a tear rolling down her cheek.

"Shiro is acting like this to repay Draco for saving his life. Why does Draco want him turned against you guys? Your guess is as good as mine," Satoshi concluded.

"I'll bet I know why," Blaze uttered. "Thanks, Satoshi. You have my condolences... See you later." She then headed for her common room.

"Do you think Shiro will be like this until we graduate?" Konata inquired, her voice weak.

Satoshi gave a small shrug. "Time can only tell."


	12. Chapter 12: The Reason

For the remainder of the week, Konata was in the lowest of spirits. Except for half-hearted "hello's" and hugs for Neville, she never smiled. Even then, her grin was small and unconvincing. Every day, she stared longingly at the Ravenclaw table, hoping Shiro would be sitting with a group, or so much as looking her way. But, no; he still sat alone and glared at a wall for each meal.

"Hey, Konata, do you want to-"

"Sorry Blaze, I can't, I'm turning in early today," Konata quickly interrupted one day.

"What else is new?" Blaze muttered. Konata pretended like she didn't hear her or feel incredibly guilty and hurried off to her common room. Before she could make it, however, she felt a hand clasp firmly over her mouth and an arm sharply pull her backward.

"HEY! GET OFF ME!" she shrieked, kicking her feet off the ground.

"Quit it, it's me!" hissed an all too familiar voice. Konata's eyes widened, and she stopped immediately as if someone had used _immobulus_ on her. Hundreds of exclamations exploded inside her brain, some angry, some sympathetic, some relieved, some just plain frantic. Before she could say any of them, however, Shiro started to speak.

"Look, I know you're on your way to bed, so I'll make this quick… I- well, first of all, I don't hate you, if that's what you're thinking," Shiro told her, releasing his grip. Though the corner of the hall they were currently standing in was rather dark, Konata could still tell that Shiro looked, in a word, exhausted. Not a just-ran-a-mile type of exhausted, but as if he'd missed out on a week's worth of sleep. It looked like he had been in that state for weeks.

Once she found her train of thought, Konata shook her head. "No, I know you don't! And I'm really sorry about what happened over the summer, it's so tragic..." she squeaked.

Shiro's eyes widened. "How do you know…?" Realization quickly dawned on him.

"Satoshi," they said in unison.

"He told you about my deal with Draco, right?"

Konata nodded.

"He's not the only one who doesn't quite understand the whole thing," Shiro sighed. "You'd think that he'd make me his servant, or part of his gang or something. But instead he specifically asked that I erase all interaction with my friends. I didn't think he hated me so much that he wants me to do something that he should very well know will send me into a state of depression. But, he's a twisted sort of person, so I'm afraid if I disobey him he'll…" Shiro gulped. "Well, think about it. I'm repaying him for saving my life. If I break our deal…"

It took Konata a moment to catch on, but once she did, she shuttered.

If at all possible, Shiro demeanor darkened even more. "But perhaps… this is for the best."

Konata felt her insides go icy, her heart cracking in her chest. "W-what? Oh, Shiro, I-I'm sorry, I-"

"No, Konata, it's not that I don't want to be your friend," Shiro said quickly. "It's just…" He suddenly got very serious. He spoke slowly, saying every word carefully and precisely. "I'm not who you think I am, Konata. I'm not who _I_ think I am. It would be better- _safer_- for you if you stayed away from me."

Konata bit her lip. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Shiro… No. I'm probably being a bad friend for disobeying you, but no. I wouldn't care if you're an escaped prisoner from Azkaban, I've learned too much and got too close to you to stop being your friend." She gently took Shiro's hands and stared into his eyes. "I'm sorry, but you're not going to get rid of me."

Shiro started to smile, but immediately stopped. He gripped Konata's hands, though more in a nervous way than an affectionate. He sighed and returned Konata's eye-gaze. It was fortunate nobody, especially Neville, walked by, because it looked rather romantic. "Konata, I have something to tell you that I haven't told anybody before. The only living people who know about this," he choked on the word _living_, "are Satoshi, Sakura, and Draco. You see, one day when Draco and I were 7, we ventured out into the woods. We knew there were places we shouldn't go, but naturally, we had to go see them. One spot my father particularly warned us about was sacred land. Something had caught Draco's eye that caused him to pause, but me, on the other hand… I took one step too far. I heard a chorus of disturbing voices that didn't seem human call out _'Monstrum!' _and let me tell you, the only thing that could compare to the feeling I got was falling into a pit of lava. It was TERRIBLE.

"I didn't hesitate to get the hell out of there. I'm not sure if I was running from whatever force conjured that spell, or if I was trying to escape the endless pain. I remember dashing into my house, and hearing Draco explain what happened, and hearing my mother scream, and then… Everything just cut out, like I was having a dream that consisted of nothing but a red screen. I learned that the curse turns those inflicted into a horrible, demon-like creature. Apparently, I grew claws and fangs, and my eyes turned dark red. I didn't seem to have a conscience or memory of who my family was." Shiro's voice dropped to barely a whisper. "I nearly killed all of them that day.

"My dad performed some sort of counter-curse that prevented me from turning into the beast again, but I know it still lies somewhere deep inside me… Whenever I get majorly angry, I can just _feel_ the urge to lose myself and rip out someone's throat. Some days- the day of my parents' funeral being one of them- I've awoken with red eyes and bloody scratches on my arms. Cuts I'd given myself, with my own fingernails, without even knowing it. If something happens one day and I lose my cool, those claw marks could be on _your _body, Konata. I care about you too much to allow that to happen," Shiro concluded.

Konata was speechless. She opened her mouth, but no sound whatsoever came out. Even her mind had gone blank. Shiro? A monster? There was no way. Absolutely no way. She very gradually gathered enough thoughts to say, "That doesn't change what I think about you. If you want me to stay away from you, I'll stay away from you. But I'll always trust you, Shiro, and I'll be slow to think negatively of you."

Shiro didn't say anything for a moment. He knew he didn't want Konata to turn against him; nevertheless, he was also aware that it would be best for her to do so. Without thinking, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. Closing his eyes tightly, he took in the moment: the scent and tickle of her milk-chocolate colored hair; the silky feel of her one-size-too-large robes; the beat of her heart; the reassuring emotion that overwhelmed him as he held her in his arms.

"Don't worry, Konata. I'll try to sort this all out…" he whispered.

Gripping Shiro's robes, Konata closed her eyes. "You have enough to worry about. Try to take it one thing at a time… A lot's happened to you, I know. I can't say I can relate, but I realize there must be bunches of difficult situations going on for you. Take it easy if you can."

Shiro, who didn't realize thin tears were silently streaming down his face, nodded and stepped back. "A-alright. Thank you, Konata… I won't keep you any longer."

Konata reassuringly gripped Shiro's shoulder. "I'll always be here for you. Remember that." As she started off down the hall, Shiro suddenly called to her, "Konata, wait! I…"

Konata looked over her shoulder, wearing a look of anticipation. Shiro looked like he'd just realized he'd written the wrong answer on an exam, and quickly said, "Good night."

Konata smiled gently and tucked one of her braids behind her ear. "Good night, Shiro. Sweet dreams."


	13. Chapter 13: Hogsmeade Minus Shiro

Much to Konata's displeasure but understanding, Shiro went through with Draco's request to avoid his friends. Shiro had managed to find a loophole with his and Draco's deal, however, and resorted to visiting with Hagrid each afternoon. Realizing how down Shiro was, Hagrid let him in on an upcoming Care of Magical Creatures class, which involved creatures called Hippogriffs. He had introduced one of them, a gray one named Buckbeak, to Shiro early on, and the winged eagle-horse immediately developed a respect for the boy. When their Care of Magical Creatures class came around, Hagrid allowed Shiro to teach a portion of it. With no Draco in sight, Shiro suggested Konata be the first one to interact with Buckbeak.

"Approach him nice and slow, no sudden movements, yes, just like that… Now catch his eye, perfect… Now bow to him," Shiro instructed. Failingly attempting to put on a brave face and decrease her nervous shaking, Konata slowly bowed the upper portion of her body without faltering her stare with the Hippogriff. There were a few seconds of tension, and then Buckbeak gave a nod to his large head. A smile seeped onto Konata's blushing face as the Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws, plus Hagrid and Shiro burst into applause.

"You could ride 'im now, yeh know," Hagrid indicated, beaming.

"No thank you!" Konata squeaked. Blushing even further, she bolted back into the crowd. On her way back, she caught Shiro's eye and could see he was much more like himself. However, his peacefulness wouldn't be lasting long.

"What happened to _you, _Malfoy?" he asked at lunch that day. Draco had his arm in a sling, Pansy Parkinson staring at him as if that day might be his last.

"That disgusting brute of an animal featured in bloody Hagrid's class today attacked me. Almost killed me, it did!"

Shiro narrowed his eyes, clenching his fist. "Malfoy. I've studied medical aspects since I was 9, and there's nothing wrong with your arm. I can tell right off. Besides, Buckbeak is a good Hippogriff. Wouldn't hurt a fly," he said slowly.

Draco sent a steady glare his way. "I find it offensive that you can't be on a first name basis with me, but you can with a stupid, murderous animal."

"Buckbeak is not MURDEROUS, _Draco_. He must've barely scratched you, and you're just putting on a big show. Whatever he did to you, I know he was egged onto it. And Buckbeak isn't STUPID, either. I'll bet he's got more brains than you do." Shiro allowed himself to smirk. "Though, that isn't saying much."

Tense "ooooh"s erupted from all the people eavesdropping on their conversation. Draco had begun to go quite red in the face, his teeth clenched dangerously tightly. He got right in Shiro's face and hissed, "That Hippogriff, along with its idiot keeper, will be _gone_ if my father and I have anything to say about it."

Shiro could have responded, but found his throat had tightened. He knew all too well that Lucius Malfoy certainly DID have something to say about everything. Instead, Shiro smacked Draco away and marched off to the Ravenclaw table. He almost wanted to throw up when he heard Pansy Parkinson saying, "Oh, Draco, he hit you like you were an insect! And when you're injured…"

"Injured? He's such a FAKE! Beaky just grazed him, with what Hagrid says Malfoy called him he's lucky to HAVE that arm!" Shiro growled a few days later. Konata and Blaze had seen him head off to Hagrid's that afternoon, so they decided they'd visit as well. However, they weren't seeing the side of Shiro they were hoping for.

"It was so pathetic… He pushed himself backward onto the ground and was crying out 'It killed me! I'm dying!' Kind of funny, really," Blaze commented. Shiro heaved a sigh and threw himself onto a chair, irritably stroking Fang's head.

"I've got him figured out, you know," he muttered.

"Oh…?" said Konata, looking up from her cup of tea.

Shiro nodded sharply, refusing the cup Hagrid offered him in what would've been a polite manner, had he not accidentally knocked it out of Hagrid's hand. He started rubbing his temples furiously. "I should have known he didn't want an even deal. If I died, that'd make it a waste for him. That'd be like… someone who hates dogs catching a runaway dog, then in return cutting the dog loose. He wants me to truly know I'm in his debt. This is WORSE than death. Death would be a _blessing_ with what he's put me through. Separating me from my friends… I know I haven't acted like it, but you guys are my _world! _Without you, I'm nothing! I know I'm lucky that I'm allowed to have Hagrid, and Satoshi, and Sakura, but without you guys… I'm just not me!"

Blaze put her tea down, eyes flaming with mixed emotions. "It's so screwed up that Malfoy has to give you _permission_ to see us. I mean, he didn't let you see us here, did he? Say he finds out about this exchange. What's he going to do? You said it yourself, it wouldn't be good enough to kill you."

Shiro buried his face in his hands, looking at the girls and Hagrid through his fingers. "But see, there's no limit to how twisted that boy is. If he does learn I've bent the deal, then no, he wouldn't kill me, but he and his father are perfectly capable of having a tragic 'accident' befall you two, or my siblings… He's already forming a plan to get rid of Hagrid somehow…" A grim expression formed behind Hagrid's tangled brown beard.

"Well, this situation is… difficult, huh?" Konata murmured. Shiro nodded, removing his hands from his very red face. He precariously got to his feet and half-heartedly opened his arms.

"Come here, you guys… For all we know, this might be the last time…" he sniffled. Without hesitation, Konata and Blaze gently threw themselves at Shiro. Hagrid brought the trio into his own bear hug, and Fang licked Shiro's hand.

"I love you guys so, SO much. I'm sorry I've put you in this predicament… I won't let him hurt you. I _swear_ I won't," Shiro said in a choked whisper. Konata and Blaze nodded silently, only hugging Shiro tighter. Like he'd said: there was no telling when the next time they'd hold him would be.

There were a few moments of silence as they stayed in that group hug motionlessly. When they returned to normal stance, though, the silence became rather awkward. Konata brought up the trip to Hogsmeade Village later that day, and requested Shiro come along with everyone else to brighten his spirits. Draco couldn't prevent him from "bumping into" Konata and Blaze there. However, the suggestion just made Shiro look away uncomfortably.

Later that frigid winter day, the students years 3 and up piled up outside to head off to Hogsmeade. The third years waved their permission slips over their heads, eager to get a move on.

"I hope it's alright I had Konata's father sign my permission slip, Professor McGonagall… I've been staying with the Verdent family since my first year, so I figured they'd count as guardians," Blaze indicated as she handed the slip with "_William H. Verdent" _printed neatly on the line. McGonagall nodded, taking the slip out of Blaze's gloved hand.

"That will certainly do, Ms. Alexanders. You're free to go," she confirmed. Grinning, Blaze trotted off to an awaiting Konata. Had they not been so ecstatic, they probably would have noticed Shiro climbing the steps back up to the castle. The only other third year student accompanying him was Harry Potter.

The two boys exchanged glances. Though they'd seen each other multiple times, and knew of each other, they didn't really KNOW each other. Shiro had heard things about Harry from Blaze, who had told Harry things about Shiro, but the boys never interacted to know whether or not what she said was true.

"Aren't you going to Hogsmeade, Harry?" Shiro asked in a quiet, morose tone.

Harry shook his head. "No… My uncle wouldn't sign my form," he responded in the same attitude Shiro had spoken in. "What about you?"

Shiro abruptly felt the urge to cry as he muttered, "My parents weren't… _around_, to sign it."

As the two boys spoke, lightening up very gradually and getting to know one another, Konata and Blaze were having the time of their lives. They decided to start off at a pub called The Three Broomsticks so they could try out a popular drink called butterbeer. Konata was hesitant, of course, being afraid it was alcoholic. "They wouldn't sell it to a couple of 13 year olds if it had alcohol in it," Blaze assured her as she placed her money on the counter.

"They would if it meant making money!" Konata retorted. Blaze ignored her and put a steaming mug into Konata's hands. Seeing the look of serenity that seeped into Blaze's face when she took her first sip, Konata blew hers off and drank about a drop. The taste was indescribably delicious, so Konata took a bigger sample. She let out a pleased moan as it seemed to melt away the cold from her head to her toes. The girls found themselves a seat and gradually finished their butterbeer, savoring every sip.

Afterwards, they headed off to Honeydukes: a sweet shop that older students raved about. Every corner was lined with some form of candy, many of them quite disgusting-sounding, while others you almost wanted to immediately put in your mouth. Konata attempted to take it all in, but was so fascinated her mind went blank.

"C'mon. Let's go buy some stuff," Blaze declared, pulling gently on Konata's sleeve. The first thing Konata reached for was labeled _Acid Pops_, but Blaze steered her away from those. "They'll burn a whole right through your tongue. Literally." So Konata gulped and examined some _Fizzing Whizzbees_, which looked rather appetizing but said sucking on them made you float a few inches off the ground.

By the time they finished exploring the shop, the girls left with their pockets overflowing with Pink Coconut Ice, Crystallised Pineapple, Fizzing Whizbees (though Konata refused to try any), Chocolate Wands, Sugared Butterfly Wings, Spindle's Lick'O'Rish Spiders, and a couple of Jelly Slugs. They had managed to avoid so much as touching Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans and Blood-flavored lollipops.

Later on, Konata met up with Neville in Dogweed and Deathcap, a Herbology shop, while Blaze went off to get a closer look at the infamous Shrieking Shack: a supposedly very haunted house ("I have a feeling those ghosts aren't nearly as friendly as The Fat Friar!" Konata had said rather panicky). They met up at the Hogsmeade Post Office ("About 20 times more interesting than any post office I've been too!" Konata exclaimed), then the girls went off to browse Gladrags Wizardwear. When they finished, they headed back to the castle with huge smiles on their rosy faces.

"You know, we didn't so much as glimpse Shiro the entire time," Blaze noted as they trudged up to their common rooms.

"How odd, I was just thinking about him too. Perhaps he'd like to have my Fizzing Whizbees."

Blaze chuckled, rolling her eyes. "Good night, Konata."

"'Night Blaze!"


	14. Chapter 14: Fears

It may be important to mention the new DADA teacher: Professor Remus Lupin. He was, perhaps, the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher Hogwarts had ever employed. Quirrell's lessons were, all in all, pretty useless (the dueling they did was unsupervised and ill taught), and Lockhart's were even worse. Lupin actually seemed to know what he was doing. He'd brought in live creatures such as Grindylows and Hinkypunks for them to learn about with real experience, and taught them valuable defense tactics. Not to mention he was extraordinarily kind. Shiro found comfort in hanging out after classes with Lupin when he wasn't visiting with Hagrid.

"Okay, class, today we'll be facing something called a _boggart_. Can anyone tell me what a boggart is?" Lupin exclaimed one Double DADA lesson with the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs. Though nobody raise their hand at the time, Konata had a feeling Hermione Granger had answered, correctly at that, during the Gryffindor-Slytherin class.

"Well, I'll tell you. A boggart is a creature whose true form has never been seen by anyone. You see, a boggart turns into whatever its victim fears the most. However, there's a spell that can help out when confronted by a boggart. It's called _riddikulus. _In order to perform this spell, you must think of something funny you'd like to happen to your biggest fear. For example, the boggart turned into Neville Longbottom's most feared professor, and his _riddikulus _caused his grandmother's clothes to appear on said professor." Konata, who had been given a vivid description of Neville's Gran and knew very well his biggest fear was Snape, giggled behind her hand.

Lupin motioned toward a large wardrobe in the middle of the room. "Boggarts prefer dark spaces, so this one is concealed in here. Do I have any volunteers to face it first?"

As if they had the same brain, the students simultaneously stepped back. The only one who remained in place was Shiro. Smiling sheepishly, he took a brave step forward.

"Ah, Mr. Ueda. Very well, very well. Are you ready?" Shiro paused for a moment, then nodded sharply. "Excellent. One… two… Three." With a flick of Professor Lupin's wand, the wardrobe burst open. Something invisible whipped the air into a strange vortex which spat out a swarm of shrieking, silvery phantoms of all varieties. Young children, elderly adults, middle aged people from about the 16th century… One thing they each had in common was the look of melancholy confusion on their translucent faces. Shiro gulped, slowly raising his wand.

"R…_Ridikkulus!"_ he cried. However, the ghosts continued to advance on him.

"Nice try, very good, just designate your concentration to your humorous thought and say your spell clearly, try once more," Lupin urged him.

Shiro sucked in his breath and shouted, "_Riddikulus!" _At that, the spirits all silenced their screeching and melted into what looked like ice cream that had been left out in the sun. Lupin led the class into enthusiastic applause.

"Well done, Mr. Ueda! Very well done! Who wants to go next?"

Shiro retreated to the back of the crowd of his classmates, smiling uncontrollably and blushing a bit. He smacked his palm against everyone's outstretched hands, holding onto Konata's for a few seconds. He smiled at her, meeting her eyes to silently tell her he was alright. "Why don't you get in line to do it?" he offered. Konata began to object but, seeing how utterly happy Shiro seemed, just couldn't turn him down. She nodded and jogged over to get in line.

When her time finally came, Konata stood up as tall as she could and approached the currently cobra-shaped boggart, its merciless eyes piercing hers. It abruptly writhed in the air, splitting into two. Each half morphed into two humans: one a blonde Gryffindor girl with dark blue glasses, the other a blue eyed, dark-brown haired Ravenclaw boy. Shiro felt his heart turn icy. Konata's biggest fear was him and Blaze? His confusion was cleared up, though, when the image of her smiling friends turned gruesome. A look of fright appeared on their faces; horrid screams arose from their throats; their skin ripped away from their flesh; they turned to skeletons, Blaze's glasses falling to the floor and shattering. Konata gasped, her eyes starting to water. She knew this was just a mirage, but it felt so… real. So convincing.

"It's okay, Ms. Verdent… Remember your spell…" Lupin murmured. It was evident in his voice that he'd never seen a student with such a grotesque biggest fear. Konata raised her wand, but was shaking so badly it slipped out of her hand. She just couldn't find anything funny to make out of her best friends' deaths. Tears leaked from her emerald eyes, and she shook her head.

"I-I can't, Professor, I CAN'T…!" she gasped. Biting his lip, Lupin flicked his wand, sending the skeletons back into the wardrobe.

"That's enough for today… We can continue tomorrow. Thank you, class, and have a wonderful day."

However, Konata hung back. She was wiping her eyes on her sleeve, but couldn't seem to get her tears to subside. Lupin kneeled down to her height and patted her shoulder. "It's perfectly okay, Konata. There's nothing to be ashamed of. Lots of people can't face the boggart. And some of them have relatively silly fears, like rodents. It's 100% understandable that you didn't know how to make your _riddikulus_ work. That was quite noble of you, your fear involving losing people you love," Lupin confided softly, pressing her wand into her hand. Konata nodded timidly.

"Good day, Professor," she whispered.

Lupin stood and ruffled her hair. "Good day, Ms. Verdent."

On her way out of the classroom, Konata felt someone grab her arm. Still a bit jumpy, she squeaked and swung her bag backwards. Shiro caught it with both his hands, grinning at her from the side. "Don't attack me, now."

Konata blushed and immediately let her bag drop to the floor. She didn't even bother to pick up its spilled contents. "Sorry," she said in a hoarse voice.

Shiro swatted at the air. "Don't worry about it. Okay, so about class today… It's nice to know that even deep inside, you still care about me. It's… reassuring. Thanks. Though I might have to spread a few rumors about you caring more about us than your little boyfriend."

Konata gasped rather unconvincingly, bringing her hands to her cheeks. "Oh _no! _How will I EVER go on when word leaks out that my replacement Neville is Blaze!"

Shiro smirked. "I was in that image too, y'know."

"Oh you know I was only kidding."

Shiro ruffled her hair. "'Course I do. But uh, see you around?"

Konata nodded. "See you around. Remind me I have some Fizzing Whizbees to give you."

"You do? Oh, wow! That's my favorite candy!" Shiro exclaimed.

"Huh! Awesome! Well, I'll see you later. Hopefully." Konata gathered up her supplies, gave Shiro a hug that lasted a few moments, and ran off before he could get another word in.

Shiro heaved a sigh, running his hand through his bangs. "''Course I do,' I say. Well, I suppose it wouldn't have gone down too well saying what I _wanted to_, since she has a boyfriend…" he muttered.


	15. Chapter 15: Shiro Snaps

The next day, Shiro decided to spend the afternoon with Hagrid. He could have joined Konata and Blaze in discussing the boggart (Blaze's had turned into her father, and her _riddikulus _had failed too), but decided against it. Draco might see them, and then Konata's biggest fear would become a reality, except she would be taking Shiro's place.

"Hagrid, it's me," Shiro called, knocking on his door.

"C'min." Hagrid's voice was awfully distant and weak. Still, Shiro opened the door with a big smile on his face. He was very used to being greeted by an ecstatic Fang, but was not, however, prepared to see Buckbeak lift his head and give a sort of smile to him. While the Hippogriff was usually tethered up in the pumpkin patch, today he was lying by the hearth inside the cottage.

"Oh, hi there Beaky! You got a cold or something and need to say inside?" Shiro asked in a croon of a tone, ruffling the feathers on Buckbeak's head.

"I wish… Iss worse. Much, much worse 'an that," Hagrid sniffled. Shiro looked up and was quite surprised to see Hagrid was more of a mess than usual, his small black eyes watering dangerously.

"What do you mean…?" Shiro inquired hesitantly, taking a seat in his usual chair.

Hagrid grabbed a handkerchief about the size of a tablecloth and blew his nose in it. "Iss that Malfoy boy's fault! Went 'n told his daddy dearest tha' Beaky's a bad creature. Tha' 'e should be punished. 'Course, I went to court o' some sort with the Committee for the Disposal o' Magical Creatures…" Shiro's insides turned icy at the word _disposal. _Hagrid blew his nose again, tears exploding from his eyes like water from a dam. "An' I lost my case! Beaky's bin se'enced ter death!"

Shiro felt himself go numb. It was as if he wasn't in his own body. Speechless, he got up and bolted out of the cottage without consciousness of his actions. He dashed throughout the school, searching frantically for one particular person.

"_Draco Malfoy!" _he shrieked, skidding to a halt in the Great Hall, which was empty besides one blonde boy. Shiro stormed over to him, his eyes shining with anger. Draco looked up from his textbooks casually, smiling.

"Hello there, Shiro."

Shiro grabbed him by the collar of his robes. "Don't play so friendly with me. _Why?_ Why would you want Buckbeak executed? He didn't do ANYTHING to you! You're faking and you know it!"

Draco looked totally unfazed, as if they were talking about the weather on a dreary day. "It's not that I only want that Hippyjiff, or whatever it's called, dead. I mean, I didn't care about the nasty creature, it's as good as dead to me as it is. But you see, if word gets out that Hagrid allowed a creature so dangerous it's been sentenced to death in his class, he'll be sacked ASAP."

Shiro tightened his grip, his knuckles turning white. He finally lost it: he let go of Draco with one hand and brought it against the blonde's cheek with so much force, he nearly knocked a tooth out. With his hair strewn across his forehead and his face burning red, he very much resembled someone who was being dragged off to Azkaban. "You… You inconsiderate, selfish, horrid, accursed, gruesome little…" A white film wiped across Shiro's eyes. When it vanished, his usual beautiful blue color had transitioned to a blood red. His lip began to bleed as his tightly clenched teeth sharpened. His fingernails turned to claws, his tight grip making the nails cut into the opposing fingertips.

Though his cheek was quickly bruising, Draco still managed to wear a look of calm amusement. However, that was now replaced by an expression of panic. "C-come now, Shiro, buddy… I-I was just kidding, you see! Your hillotriff is going to be fine…"

"YOU'RE LYING! I can see it in your greedy little eyes!" Shiro boomed. "And it's not _hippyjiff _or _hillotriff_, it's _hippogriff_. It's hard to get things through your skull, isn't it? Perhaps this will help." At those words, Shiro pressed his palms against Draco's chest and shoved him, sending him flying across the room and slamming into the wall. Dizzy and pained, Draco gulped as Shiro trudged over to him, wand outstretched.

"You're sick, Malfoy. Sick and twisted. You call yourself my friend… Even when we were young and naïve, you were a shitty companion. Always bending the rules to your advantage and taking every opportunity to step all over me. You're the worst thing that ever happened to me, Malfoy! Even if it had been in my father's will that we were to be friends for years to come, I would still LOATHE you," Shiro growled, his free hand clasped around Draco's neck. Whimpering, Draco shakily groped the ground with his good hand for his wand. To his horror, he had left it on the table.

Shiro's mouth curled into a cruel grin, revealing his dangerously sharp teeth. "Time to burn in Hell, you bastard," he said in a disturbed sort of purr. He raised his wand-

"_Expelliarmus!" _Shiro's wand spun out of his hand, clattering to the floor. "_Immobulus!" _the same voice called out, their wand pointed directly at Shiro. The voice belonged to none other than Satoshi Ueda.

"Get up, Malfoy. Shoo. And if you EVER mess with my little brother again, I'll see to it that something terrible occurs in your pathetic life," he instructed in a calm tone with an edge of frustration. Draco tried to nod but felt it was much too painful, so he instead got precariously to his feet and limped out of the Hall.

"_Colloportus," _Satoshi called once Draco left, his wand facing the door. He mobilized Shiro, whose eyes seemed to be dancing with flames.

"What did you bloody DO? I was gonna kill him! I HAVE TO KILL HIM!" Shiro screamed, clawing at the door. Satoshi wrapped his arms around Shiro from behind, gently pulling him away from the door.

"Calm down, Shiro. It's okay, buddy, shhh. It's okay."

Shiro continued to flail, his claws raking against Satoshi's cheek at one point. "NO IT'S NOT! It won't be okay until that damn Malfoy is DEAD! I hate him! HATE HIM! He has to die, die, die, die, DIE!" Warm tears began leaking out of his sickly red eyes, which were burning even brighter than before.

Satoshi gradually turned Shiro so that he was facing him. He stared into his eyes, which were beginning to look less and less like eyeballs. He gripped Shiro's arms tightly, leaning over to press his lips against his head. He tried to remember back 6 years to when this transformation last occurred, and what had turned him back. He couldn't recall the counter-curse their father had used, but their mother did help out in a way that he could recall..."Shiro. Your professors love you, you're their best student. Opey loves you, you're like his dad. Mischief and Jakkin love you, you're their master. Konata and Blaze love you, you're their best friend. Your roommates love you, you're, well, their roommate. Sakura loves you, you're her favorite big brother. _I _love you, Shiro. You're my only little brother," he whispered slowly, his voice beginning to crack.

Even more tears streamed down Shiro's face, his eyes seeming to cool off. His fingernails and teeth dulled; he closed his eyes tightly and fell forward into Satoshi. He made out one soft remark before losing consciousness: "I love you too, Big Brother…"

"Did I really say all that?" Shiro asked quietly. Though very shaken up, Shiro had physically returned to normal. It was about an hour after he passed out, and Satoshi had brought Shiro up to the Gryffindor common room. He had just finished explaining what'd happened with Shiro and Draco, since Shiro didn't remember anything. Surprisingly, Satoshi didn't even bend the truth a little when reciting it.

"Yup. You had quite the potty mouth," Satoshi grinned. Shiro gave a feeble smile that lasted about a second. His eyes- blue for good this time- drifted to the floor.

"Satoshi… Why do you bother to deal with me?"

Satoshi looked down at him. "What type of question is that?"

Shiro shifted uncomfortably, his eyes watering. "I-I mean… You're so popular, while I could probably count my friends on two hands. By my age, you'd had at least 20 girlfriends, while I can't even ask out one girl. You're AMAZING at Quidditch, while I'd rather stick my nose in a novel than even touch a broomstick. Let's face it: you're cool, to say the LEAST, and I'm just a nerd."

Satoshi pulled on Shiro's chin, forcing him to look him in the eye. "So? Shiro, you're my little brother. 'Nuff said. I could get into all the touchy stuff, but I'd rather not. Honestly, the only reason I'd ever have for disliking you is that I'd be _jealous_of you."

Shiro sniffled. "What's there to be jealous of?"

Satoshi gently punched Shiro's arm. "Open your eyes, bud! You're a child genius; I'm a bonehead. You have an _amazing_ way with animals; they bite me and walk away. I could go on and on, but I'll add just this: all my 'friends?' They're not exactly _friends_. The only true friends I have are Fred and George Weasley, who I don't even hang out with too much, and Jeffrey." Satoshi had been friends with Jeffrey Knumlach since they were 7, and Shiro had rather taken a liking to him. He was exactly like Satoshi, and treated the Uedas like they were his family too. "_All _your close friends," Satoshi continued, "are true. Blaze and Konata… I can tell those two would die for you. Plus you have Luna, and Cho, and Michael, and Terry, and Anthony, plus Harry now… You're a real lucky guy, Shiro."

Shiro wasn't quite sure what to say. Satoshi was never really for the mushy stuff, as he'd call it. Normally, he'd gag and walk out on situations like this. For Satoshi to outwardly say he loves him was a change, but rather sweet and reassuring. He leaned into Satoshi, closing his eyes lightly. He felt Satoshi firmly hug him.

"I know we've lost Mum and Dad and Sana and the twins, but we still have a family. We gotta stick together," Satoshi whispered.

Shiro nodded, gripping Satoshi's robes. He opened his eyes a slit to allow tears to fall. He briefly wondered if there was a record for how many times a person who rarely cried had cried in less than a year. He was fairly certain that had there been one, he'd broken it.


	16. Chapter 16: Spirit Love

"Er… Draco?" The next day, Shiro brought up the nerve to confront Malfoy.

"O-oh, hello, Shiro…"

Shiro sighed. "Sorry I almost, you know, killed you…"

"That's, alright…" Draco replied. Nevertheless, Shiro could see he was holding his wand at the ready.

"Look… I know I said some awful things to you, but, some of it… I meant. I don't want to be your friend anymore, Draco. And I'm breaking our deal. Sorry," Shiro said calmly. Draco began to object, but remembering the previous day, thought against it.

"Well, I uh… Good-bye, Malfoy," Shiro said rather uncomfortably.

"Yeah. 'Bye, Ueda."There was the smallest bit of regret in Draco's voice. And with that, Shiro turned and exited the castle.

He wasn't even completely aware that he was walking. He had even less clear an idea of where it was he was headed. He just kept walking, his mind swimming with thoughts but none of them called to his attention strongly enough. He just kept walking, and walking, and walking, blind to his surroundings. It was a good 10 minutes into it that he realized he was walking in the Forbidden Forest. He came to an abrupt halt, his mind briefly going blank. How could he possibly have ventured so far into the forest without noticing it? Heartbeat increasing, he started to turn and head back, until something caught his eye. What it was, he wasn't quite sure, but it had a sort of magnetic effect. He set his back to the entrance and continued walking forward.

"Where am I…?" he asked in a whisper. He had been walking quite a distance, feeling as if he was in a dream or a trance. After a good amount of time, he'd stumbled upon a clearing. A strange atmosphere settled around the area. It was quiet… _Too_ quiet…

"Shiro? Is that you?" Shiro spun around, his heart stopping for a moment then kicking to a super fast pace in a second.

"Satoshi…?"

Sure enough, Satoshi pushed back a tree branch and stepped into the clearing. He opened his mouth to speak, until there was movement from the opposite side. He immediately dashed to Shiro, holding out his wand. "Show yourself… Or, you know what, stay away from us," he demanded, gripping Shiro's shoulder.

"It's just me," a very familiar feminine voice called back. "Help, please, my leg is caught…"

Shiro ran over and grabbed the girl's arm, pulling her into view. "Geez, ouch… But, thanks, Shiro."

"No problem, Sakura." Sakura Ueda shakily brought herself to her feet, brushing off her knees.

"What are the odds that the three of us come here at the same time?" Shiro mused, bringing himself to smile.

"Not sure. Saki, were you chasing after a… wolf?" Satoshi asked hesitantly. Shiro felt both fear and wonder wash over him. A wolf? In this forest? Wolves always fascinated him; perhaps he'd get to meet the magnificent creature.

Sakura shook her head. "I was following, a…" She lowered her voice, as if embarrassed to say it. "A leopard."

A look of incredulousness filled Shiro's face, but Satoshi seemed to believe it. "What about you, Shiro?" he inquired.

"What? Oh, I wasn't following anything… It just felt like something was drawing me here."

Sakura tilted her head a bit. "How weird… I wonder what-" Shiro blinked, confused as to why Sakura's eyes were suddenly widened. He glanced over to Satoshi to see he had an identical expression. He slowly followed their gaze, and felt as if his insides had rapidly disappeared.

The siblings were no longer alone in the clearing. A wolf and a leopard- both at least 5 feet tall and 10 feet long- were standing in front of them. They didn't seem to be solid, though: they were a strange silvery-blue, and seemed translucent. However, they gave off a vibe that replaced the siblings' feeling of fear with one of comfort.

Something in Shiro's peripheral vision broke his gaze with the strange creatures. Sitting on a tree branch to the left was without a doubt Sana Ueda, smiling down at them. She, like the wolf and leopard, was silvery-blue and a bit see through. Shiro felt Satoshi nudge his arm and saw him point to the right. His finger led to Satoko and Sakito, sitting in a tree in the same state as Sana.

Shiro felt himself go pale. It couldn't be… It simply couldn't be… He gradually averted his attention to the wolf and leopard. They both bowed their great heads, and began to morph. Shiro cried out and stumbled backward when standing in their place was suddenly Sandra and Shotaro Ueda.

Shiro's mouth moved wordlessly, like a fish out of water. "Mum… Dad…" Sakura breathed. The figure of Sandra then spoke.

"Hello, Sakura… Satoshi… Shiro… My beautiful, _beautiful _children."

Satoshi found himself grinning softly; Shiro, on the other hand, had begun shaking his head, not a trace of color in his face. "No… N-no… You guys… You guys are DEAD! Th-there's no… _avoiding _that, you all died… This can't be real, _it's not real…_"

The figure of Shotaro sighed. "Sandy, I _told _you he isn't over his fear of ghosts."

"Don't say _ghosts_, love. We're _spirits._"

Shiro cried out, backing away. "NO! Stay away, stay away! Stay away from me!" he shrieked. Mrs. Ueda glided over and pressed her hand against his cheek. Tears immediately sprung from Shiro's eyes and, if possible, he became even paler.

"Shiro, my darling… I know you're afraid, but don't be. Remember what your grandpa used to tell you? If someone really loves you,"

"-they'll never leave you. Even in death," Shiro finished in a hoarse voice. He shook his head, throwing himself into the spirit's arms. Though her body was deathly cold, it sent an indescribable warmth through Shiro's body.

"You've all been through so much, especially you Shiro… I'm so proud of you all for staying strong…" Mrs. Ueda whispered, running her icy, fleshless fingers through Shiro's hair. Mr. Ueda took one step and floated over to them.

"We can't stay too long, for complicated reasons… But, just know that if any of you need anything, you can just come to this spot and we'll be here. You'll know how to get here," he told them. Shiro looked up at him, wiping his face on his arm. Sana and the twins jumped out of their trees, hugging their three mortal siblings. They smiled feebly and hugged them back, making room for their parents.

"We love you," all 8 of them said in unison. The Uedas stayed like that for a few seconds, staying silent so as not to ruin the moment with words. When they hesitantly broke away, Mr. Ueda put his hand on Shiro's shoulder.

"Before we go, I'd like to tell you something, Shiro… There's a girl in your school who's in love with you. And I don't mean she has a big crush or even an obsession, though there _are _some chicks like that. This girl doesn't realize it herself, but she'd fallen for you since the moment she first saw you. How do I know this? Well, one, I'm your dad. I know these things. Two, spirits have a special connection with certain things."

Shiro felt a bubbly feeling make its way through his chest. "In _LOVE_ with me…? Really…?"

Mr. Ueda nodded. "I'll leave you to figure it out on your own. Trust me, you'll find each other. Well. Sakura, congratulations on being sorted into Gryffindor. You'll make a very fine witch. Satoshi, try to stay out of trouble and not knock up any girls. And Shiro? Stay Shiro." With a wink, he grabbed Mrs. Ueda's hand, causing him, his wife, and their three deceased children to vanish in a flash of light.

"That was… odd," Sakura murmured. Her brothers nodded.

"Guess we should be heading back," Satoshi suggested.

"Definitely." Huddling close together and taking each other's hands, the three living Ueda kids headed back to Hogwarts, their minds more crowded with indecipherable thoughts than ever.


	17. Chapter 17: Realizations

"This year was… eventful, to say the least," Blaze sighed joyfully, stroking Xalia's feathers as she, Konata, and Shiro- together once more- followed the other students to the Hogwarts Express.

"I'll say. I mean, Shiro's predicaments… The new classes- Diviniation, Care of Magical Creatures, and Muggle Studies were _fantastic, _by the way… The Hogsmeade visits… Th- oh, Shiro, I'm sorry if I'm making you feel uncomfortable," Konata said quickly. Shiro shook his head, gripping Konata's shoulder.

"Nah, you're fine," he assured her. The year had ended rather happily. Under unknown circumstances, Buckbeak had escaped on the day he was to be executed. Nobody knew of his whereabouts, but at least he was free. Draco didn't hold Shiro's promise breaking over his head, and surprisingly, never told anyone about Shiro's transformation. The trio had received straight passing grades on their report cards. The only disappointing occurrence was when Professor Lupin resigned, since word got out that he was a werewolf ("Parents won't want their children being taught by a monster"). However, Konata was slowly bringing up the nerve to reveal some more potentially upsetting news.

"I'll go find us a seat, okay?" Shiro offered. "I'll wave to you when I find one, you take your time to get on." The girls nodded, and he disappeared onto the train.

"So, Konata, what type of summer romance do you have prepared with Mr. Longbottom?" Blaze asked with a grin. Konata, on the other hand, was doing the opposite of grinning.

"Actually, I uh, was just about to say something about that…" She took a deep breath and said, "I broke up with Neville."

Blaze's mouth fell agape. "But you two were ADORABLE together! Why?"

Konata chewed the inside of her cheek, blushing slightly. She meekly returned the wave Shiro was sending them through a window on the train. "Well, I mean, we DID have some good couple memories… H-he was my first kiss, y'know." Her cheeks turned even pinker when Blaze whistled. "But… We're still young. I don't think either of us honestly thought we'd be together forever. Plus, I… I feel like there's someone else I should be with."

Konata's eyes were now drifting to the back of Shiro's head. Her heart stopped beating for a moment, and she felt like she'd just had an abrupt awakening from a long sleep. Her face flaming, she stared more deeply at Shiro.

Blaze caught on immediately. "Oh. My. GOD. You have a crush on Shiro!" she shrieked excitedly.

"W-what? I-I… No! Of course I don't, he's like, my best friend! Like my brother!"

Blaze smirked, casually striding toward the train. "If you say so… I have the whole summer to find out the truth."

Not taking fondly to the idea of Blaze pestering her to confess all summer, Konata bolted to her side and hissed, "Okay, maybe a _LITTLE_ crush."

Blaze grinned and ruffled her hair, walking down the train's aisle. "That's adorable. And don't worry, my lips are sealed."

The girls soon found Shiro and slid into the booth with him. "Hey, you alright? You look… out of it," Blaze noted. Shiro blinked tightly and gave a convincing smile.

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine. Just zoned out for a second there." But he had more than zoned out. As if the planets had suddenly aligned, Shiro had realized that the girl his father told him about… The girl that loved him… She was Konata. No, he wasn't sure she was Konata. He… WANTED her to be Konata. He began running his fingers through Mischief's fur, throwing what he hoped appeared to be casual glances Konata's way. She caught one of them while looking up from tying a ribbon around Tar's tail, and grinned.

"Hi Shiro."

"Hello Konata." The planets most certainly must've been aligned, because at the exact same moment, Shiro and Konata thought: "I have some things to say when I get back from summer break."


	18. Chapter 18: At Shiro's Home

"Alright, let's try this."

"Blimey, Blaze, no! There's no way I'm doing this," Konata whined, her cheeks red from both the heat of her bedroom (her air conditioning malfunctioned) and embarrassment.

"When you and Shiro are saying your vows, you'll be _glad_ we did this," Blaze countered.

"V-vows?" Konata shrieked, blushing even further (if at all possible).

Blaze grinned, pulling her blonde hair into a messy bun. "Now then. If we had Polyjuice Potion, this'd be so much easier… Oh well, you can use your imagination, right?"

"No. I can't."

"Do you want to look like a total fool when you tell Shiro how you feel?" Blaze pressed her hands against her own cheeks. "Sh-Shiro, hi there, how was your summer? Mine was good, oh by the way, I love you, you know," she said in mockery of Konata's voice.

Since her face couldn't possibly get any redder, Konata's eyes watered, knowing that was exactly how she most likely would've gone about confession. "O-okay… So, let's pretend you're Shiro-" Konata was interrupted by a knocking at her door. Her mom, a woman with ginger hair and loving hazel eyes, opened the door a crack.

"Sorry to interrupt, but you girls got a letter. It's from your friend Shiro, I believe."

With a devious smile, Blaze stood and took the letter. "Wouldn't it be so ironic if this was a love letter, Konata?"

"Oh, Shiro'd never confess that way… Th-though it might be easier, it'll be really difficult to tell him in person," Konata murmured. Her mom blinked, a huge grin melting into her face.

"You have a crush on him, do you? Oh, that's so sweet!" she cried.

"My little Konata is forbidden from crushing on ANYONE until she's graduated," a gruff voice called from the hallway.

"Oh shush, Daddy!" Konata called irritably.

"Konata, look at this!" Blaze held up the letter, which she'd opened up already. Konata leaned over and read it:

_Dear Konata & Blaze,_

_Satoshi has gone to the Quidditch World Cup with his friend Jeffrey and his cousins Catherin and Caitlyn- I bet he'll end up making out with one of them before he comes home- so a relative of my mum's took his absence as an opportunity to visit me and Sakura. I know our homes are far apart, but I could instruct you to use the Floo Powder system- _"I know how to use that," Blaze indicated excitedly. _–and you two could come over tomorrow. It's not that I want you girls to suffer along with me or anything, Sakura and I just want to see you and, well, we sort of want to escape our relatives for a bit. We could also swing by Diagon Alley together. Send an owl with your answer._

_Sincerely yours,_

_Shiro Ueda_

"Well, Mum? Are we allowed to go?" Konata asked eagerly. Her father's face popped into the doorway.

"You? Go to a BOY'S house for more than a day? Not in a million years you don't!" he growled.

"But he has a little sister, Daddy! We'll probably stay in her room for the night, just please, _please _let us go!" Konata pleaded.

Mr. Verdent sighed angrily. "I don't like this one bit, but fine. If he asks you to go somewhere with him alone, you come home straight away."

"Daddy…"

"If you two do anything suspicious, his parents will be receiving every part of my mind."

"You'll certainly have a job with that one, Shiro's parents are dead," Konata muttered.

Any aggravation seeped out of Mr. Verdent's expression and was replaced with a blank, sympathetic stare. "O-oh… Who cares for him and his sister, then?" he asked hesitantly. Konata was silent. She hadn't quite thought about that before. She never brought it up either, afraid that it would upset Shiro.

"I… I don't know, actually," she finally responded.

"Well, er, send us a letter when you get there… Be good, now," Mr. Verdent told her quietly. Konata nodded, giving her dad a hug.

"You're making it sound like we're leaving in 5 minutes, Daddy. Blaze, can you send Shiro our reply? And then you'll have to show me that Floo Powder thing…"

Blaze nodded, getting to her feet and retrieving a quill and parchment. Xalia ruffled her feathers in her cage, aware she'd be given a job soon.

After Konata's parents departed, the two girls opened a small package that Jakkin had dropped after the letter (the bird was currently perched atop Xalia's cage, grooming his feathers). It contained a cup filled with a white powder, as well as a small slip of parchment with Shiro's address written on it neatly.

"Ah, this is the Floo Powder. Excellent." Blaze exclaimed. "Think your parents will be willing to light a fire in the summer?"

Konata titled her head curiously. "A fire? What do we need a fire for?"

Blaze explained that the Floo Powder system heavily involved fireplaces. You threw some of the white powder into the flames, clearly called out your destination, and you were transported to the fireplace at the given address. "The fire becomes heatless when you throw the Floo Powder into it. Completely safe," Blaze said quickly, seeing the look of alarm that flashed across Konata's face.

"Oh, what a bloody mess," Konata sighed the next day. She and Blaze had each packed a suitcase and, after rapidly receiving a confirmation letter from Shiro, went through with the Floo Powder the next day. The girls now found themselves on their bottoms in a fireplace located inside a home they'd never seen before, covered from head to foot in ash.

"Master Shiro! Shiro's friends have done the comings!" a squeaky voice called. Konata scrambled to her feet, smiling at the sight of Shiro's house elf. Blaze stood too, though much more gracefully, grinning as well.

Their smiles widened when Shiro swung open a door to their left and bolted into the room. This was the first time the girls had ever seen him wearing something besides Hogwarts robes; today he sported jeans, a sky blue t-shirt that said _Hollister _in white letters, and nothing on his feet. "Konata! Blaze! I'm so glad you could make it, wait here a moment, I'll get towels so you two can clean up…" And as quickly as he had appeared, he vanished.

Konata never really put much thought into what Shiro's home would look like. The living room floor was masked by a rather dirty, tannish carpet. Curtains the colors of the Hogwarts houses were draped over each window in the room: green, blue, and red over the wall windows, yellow over the door's. There was a large, pale sofa on the opposite wall; beside it was a floor lamp and a bookshelf, while in front of it was a coffee table.

A shelf hung above the fireplace, displaying 7 pictures: the one in the middle showed Mr. Ueda looking rather handsome in a tuxedo, staring affectionately into the eyes of a pregnant Mrs. Ueda, who wore a gorgeous white wedding dress. Since this was the wizarding world, the picture moved: the couple blinked, and began to lean in for a kiss. Before their lips met, however, the picture flashed to a much more recent image of Mrs. Ueda hugging onto her smiling husband's arm.

The picture was bordered on both sides by pictures of newborn babies. The babies on the left flashed out to display recent pictures of Satoko, Sana, and Sakura; the ones on the right changed to Sakito, Shiro, and Satoshi.

Shiro emerged from the room he'd disappeared into, carrying two towels with Mischief on his heels. Following the girls' gazes, he smiled softly. "Those pictures are enchanted to change image every few seconds. On our birthdays every year, we'd take a new picture, but the first image is always of the day we were born. Speaking of birthdays… I appreciate the package of Fizzing Whizbees you sent me. I still have some left over."

"It was nothing. Glad you liked them," the girls responded simultaneously, graciously taking the outstretched towels.

"What a lovely home you have here," Konata commented, stepping out of the fireplace.

"Thanks. You are too."

"What? I didn't quite hear you."

Shiro blushed slightly. "Huh? Oh, I just said thank you." Blaze, who had rather acute hearing, smirked, but deemed it best to keep silent.

"Shiro? Are those girls here?" The door opened a second time, and a middle-aged woman joined them in the room. Her blouse and skirt looked to be worth a fortune; her golden-brown hair was pulled up into a tight, neat bun; though she was quite lovely, her beaded spectacles made her look at least 5 years older, and she gave off a terribly intimidating vibe. The sight of her had an effect of making someone immediately self conscious.

"Yes, Aunt Miriam. This is Konata, and this is Blaze," Shiro I indicated. Konata could tell straight off Shiro really wished this woman would go back to wherever she came from.

Miriam peered skeptically at the girls from over her glasses. She gave a small, disapproving noise from the back of her throat. "The blonde… She's a wild one. Trouble. The kind of girl that belongs in a reformatory school. The brunette… She's the type that's afraid of her own shadow. Quite a pathetic girl, really."

Shiro glared at her. "Don't you DARE talk about my best friends that way! You can shut up right now," he growled.

Though her demeanor remained the same, fury burst in Miriam's eyes. "Don't YOU dare tell your aunt to shut up, mister! Your brother is already turning out to be exactly like your disgusting father… If I have any say about it, which I most certainly do, you and your sister will end up NOTHING like him."

For a brief, terrifying moment, Shiro's eyes flashed red. "My father was not disgusting! He was an amazing man, and he loved his family with everything he had! And you do _not_ have any say about my life, you're not my legal guardian." At that, Shiro grabbed Blaze and Konata by the wrists and shot through the door through which he'd entered, almost trampling his cat. They passed through a kitchen, which looked like a modern day Muggle kitchen, and then went out a screen door to the backyard. Shiro didn't stop running until the trio reached the forest. There, he sat at the foot of a colossal tree, and motioned for the girls to do the same.

"I'm really, _REALLY_ sorry you had to see that…" he murmured, staring at his lap.

"It's fine," Konata assured him, sitting cross-legged at his side. Blaze found a seat on the ground in front of them.

"I would've snapped too. That lady's got some nerve…"

Shiro sighed petulantly. "Nearly all of my mum's family does. Want to hear some family history, or should we talk about something else?"

"Family history is fine," Konata and Blaze agreed.

Shiro leaned back against the tree, folding his arms behind his head. "Well, there's a tradition on my mum's side of the family that involves having 6 children. Usually, though, only one of those 6 carries on that tradition. My mum was the one who chose to, since she loves kids and four of her five other siblings think children are nasty, obnoxious little creatures. The only one who doesn't is my Aunt Renee- I really wish SHE was here instead of my Aunt Miriam. Aunt Miriam is the oldest of them all, and she has this horrid husband that I'm pretty positive she married only for the money. The second oldest are my twin uncles, who I know basically nothing about. My mum doesn't want me to, says they're revolting people. Then there's my Aunt Renee, who's only a year older than my mum and exactly like she was. Her husband- my Uncle Keith- is among the best men I've ever met. They have two sons: Kenneth, who's 8, and Robert, who's 10. They had a daughter who would've been my age, but she died at birth.

"The youngest is my Uncle Harold: wickedest man I've ever met. He's… in Azkaban right now. Killed his wife and her 5 year old daughter. I've only seen him once, but he left me with bruises that lasted for years," he concluded solemnly.

"Oh my… _gosh…" _Konata whispered.

"I thought MY family was screwed up, but… You definitely take the case," Blaze muttered. Shiro gave a small nod.

"Shiro… Can I ask something?" Konata murmured.

"Of course you may."

Konata shifted uncomfortable. "You said your aunt isn't your legal guardian… So, I was wondering- my dad asked too… Who IS your legal guardian?"

Shiro gave a small smile. "Ah. You see, there's a couple that lived down the road whose home was destroyed in the… incident. They were very close to my parents; very nice people. Their kids are grown, and since they had no place to live, some papers were sorted and now they live with us. They're out shopping now, they'll be home soon," Shiro explained. Konata and Blaze nodded, feeling a bit more at ease that the Ueda kids weren't supporting themselves.

Something moved in the hedges nearby. Shiro glanced over his shoulder at it, and smiled."There's no need to hide. Come here, buddy boy." Two round, hazel eyes were staring at the trio through a bush. Hesitantly, the raggedy creature which the eyes belonged to stepped into view.

"Opey did not want to interrupt kind Master's discussings, it is just… Opey remembers sweet girls!" He sheepishly hopped over to them. "Pretty Ms. Blaze! Lovely Ms. Konata! Opey is having the honors to be seeing you again!" He bowed his head clumsily, his ears flapping. With a squeal, Konata bent over and scooped the elf into her arms.

"Oh, you are just the most adorable thing ever!" she cried, snuggling him close to her chest. Opey pulled his ears over his face.

"Opey is flattered! Opey thanks pleasant girl!" Konata giggled and hugged him even tighter.

"You're going to make the poor thing's eyes pop out!" Blaze laughed. Konata laughed too, but loosened her grip significantly.

"Oi! Konata, Blaze!" called the voice of Sakura Ueda. She trotted into view, smiling broadly. Like Shiro, this was the first time the girls had seen her wearing something other than Hogwarts robes. At the moment, she wore a denim skirt and a purple off-the-shoulders shirt.

"It's nice to see you," Blaze and Konata agreed, standing. Though Blaze saw much more of Sakura, being in her House, Konata still got to know her since she tended to hang out with the trio during breaks.

"I'm so glad you girls came! My aunt doesn't let me leave the house, and apparently it's wrong to have friends over if you're under 13. The woman's made living here Hell."

"Watch your language, Saki," Shiro warned her.

"Sorry, Shishi."

Shiro blushed; Konata hid her grin behind her hand; Blaze made an amused noise that sounded like she'd started choking on air but quickly stopped. "Shishi? Seriously?" Blaze remarked.

"I don't like being called that," Shiro mumbled. Sakura laughed and started chatting enthusiastically with Blaze and Konata.

The four of them headed off to Diagon Alley after eating breakfast on August thirtieth. The items on their supply list were all to be expected, except for the addition of the words "Dress robes." They weren't, however, on Sakura's list.

"What could those be for?" Konata wondered aloud, beginning to decipher what color dress would go best with her eyes.

"There's been word about a special event taking place at Hogwarts this year… It's a secret, though. Don't have a clue what it is," Shiro replied, scanning over what he'd already purchased and crossing them off his list.

"First year we nearly get killed by giant spiders, second year the school is terrorized by a basilisk, third year we have a werewolf for a teacher, and this year we have some fancy dinner party? Oh, WONDERFUL," Blaze muttered.

"At least at a dinner party we'd have a pretty good feeling that we'll live to our next year," Konata countered.

Blaze grinned. "Konata. This is Hogwarts we're talking about. There's NEVER a guarantee we'll live until next year."


	19. Chapter 19: Confessions

"The Triwizard Tournament… Blimey, who would've guessed?" breathed Satoshi, sitting against a pillar outside. It was the first of September, and the Hogwarts students had all been told about the upcoming dangerous tournament which took place among Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang schools. They had only been held a handful of times before, and competitors' lives had been lost during it. However, it was supposedly going to be safer this year.

"Yeah, seems pretty big… And that prize the winner gets…" Shiro whistled. His family could definitely do with the amount of money the champion of this tournament would receive, but the age limit was 17; Satoshi was 16. "Are you going to find a way to get your name in anyway?"

Satoshi shook his head. "Nah. Fred and George are, though. They asked me if I wanted to do the same, but you know what I told them? 'I can't risk something going wrong, I have a little brother and sister to take care of,' I said." Shiro suddenly felt guilty. It would've meant the world for Satoshi to enter such a significant event… However, he grinned down reassuringly at his brother and ruffled his hair. "Don't worry your pretty little head. I'm going to help them devise a way for them to get in."

It was silent among the two brothers, their thoughts on two completely different topics: Satoshi's on the tournament, Shiro's on…

"Hey, Satoshi? Can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

Shiro gulped and took in a deep, shaky breath. "How… How do you ask girls out so easily?"

Satoshi blinked, then grinned broadly. "Oh, thank God! I thought you'd turn out gay."

Shiro's face flushed. "Shut up and answer my question! … Please!"

Satoshi chuckled and wrapped his arm around Shiro's shoulders. "Alright, alright. I'll answer your cute little question, but I'm sure you won't be happy with my response… Asking them out comes so easily because I look at girls as points in a game. As you well know, I love to win."

"You're right, I don't like that answer," Shiro muttered.

Satoshi's smile softened. "I WILL help you though. First things first: who's the lucky lady? Still Luna?"

Shiro blushed again. He was silent for a moment. "No, it isn't Luna… I… I won't tell you who. You'll laugh. Or you'll tell her I like her."

"Aw, of course I'll laugh! But I can assure you I won't tell her. I want my baby brother to find love. Which I can't do if you don't tell me who it is. If I've learned anything about females, it's that they're all unique. You can't approach them all the same way."

Shiro stared at the ground, his cheeks flaming. "It's Konata," he whispered almost inaudibly.

As promised, Satoshi let out a quick laugh. "Oh my gosh, that's fricking adorable! So, let's see. Konata is shy, and sweet as sugar. If she rejected you, she'd do so gently, and she'll be all flustered and flattered when you ask her. She dated Longbottom, so you're WAY above her priorities… We also have to take into consideration that she might think dating you will make Blaze feel like a third wheel…" Satoshi clasped his hands together. "Alright, so I say you get her alone- any time of day will work. Except morning, you don't want her thinking about it all day… Okay, so maybe around or after dinner time would be best. Make sure she looks fine, don't want her to be upset about something while you're confessing, then she won't be so confused."

Shiro blinked, speechless. "Wow, Satoshi, you're a genius…"

Satoshi shrugged, grinning. "I try."

"I tried to ask her out already, actually…" Shiro admitted quietly. "I'm kind of glad it didn't work though. I mean, the timing was all wrong… And Blaze and Sakura were right there…"

"Oh REALLY? How and when did this go down exactly, hm?"

Shiro glanced away, biting the inside of his cheek. "I, er… It was after we'd packed up our stuff. We were waiting for Mr. and Mrs. Dopple," those were the people who now lived with the Ueda kids, "to get ready to take us to the train station… Blaze and Sakura were talking, and Konata was sitting on her suitcase, kicking her feet silently, and… I sat next to her, and started chatting with her, but before I could get to asking her out the Dopples were ready to leave," he explained softly.

"Mm, yeah, that wouldn't have been the best time. There could've been tons of worse times, but that wasn't all that great," Satoshi remarked. He gripped Shiro's shoulder.

"S…Satoshi?"

"S…Shiro?"

Shiro ignored the mockery and whispered, "What if I don't just want to date her… What if I'm in LOVE with her?"

Satoshi looked abruptly serious. He tightened his grasp on Shiro's shoulder a tiny bit. "Then you'd better follow my advice, baby bro."

Meanwhile, Konata was walking the grounds with Blaze, Hermione, and Hannah.

"I love your new 'do, Kana," Hannah commented.

Konata smiled, twirling a strand of her hair around her finger. This year, she'd pulled the edges of her hair into a high, thin ponytail, and straightened away all the curls her braids had created. "Do you?"

"It looks good on you," Blaze agreed. Hermione nodded, smiling.

"Thanks!" Konata peeped, blushing very slightly.

Blaze suddenly stopped. She stood in front of Konata and crossed her arms. "Okay, what's on your mind?"

Konata blinked. "What? Nothing. So, that Triwizard Tournament sounds pretty intense, huh?"

Blaze raised an eyebrow. "Don't change the subject. Is something on your mind? You don't have to tell me what, just-"

"I'm thinking about the guy I like," Konata squeaked. Blaze grinned.

"Ah, there we go. Mr. Ueda, hm?"

"No way, you're crushing on Shiro?" Hermione gasped.

"Well there's no way she likes Satoshi," mused Hannah.

Konata's cheeks turned pink. "Yeah, yeah, I do like Shiro… It's why I broke up with Neville… Just don't tell anyone, please?"

"Of course we won't!" Hannah assured her. "It's not like we see him very often anyway."

Konata gave a miniscule nod. Her eyes drifted to Blaze, and she sighed. "I don't know what to do… I'm like a little sister to him, and one of his best friends, he'll be so weirded out… And I don't have the slightest clue of how to ask him if he likes me or not! I tried over the summer, but chickened out…"

"Oh? When did this happen?" inquired Blaze.

Konata ran her fingers through her milk-chocolate colored hair uneasily. "The first night we were at his house, during dinner… Shiro and I reached for the salt at the same time, a-and our fingers touched, and I think we both blushed… Remember how I said 'Did you… want to use it first first?' Yeah, well, I was GOING to ask if he felt sparks too."

"How sweet!" all three girls chirped. Konata let out a shaky sigh, blushing a level more.

"Yeah, well… H-how should I go about asking him?"

The others all shrugged. "None of us have ever had a boyfriend, Konata. We wouldn't know what's right or not," Blaze told her.

"We don't want to give you bad advice," murmured Hannah sadly.

"Yeah, I get it. It's okay, I'll… I'll figure it out." Konata shrunk down a size and whispered very quietly, "Besides, I don't just want to ask him out… I want to tell him that I think I might be in… in love with him. "It's getting dark, let's get back up to the castle," she offered quickly, before anyone could comment.

The next few days didn't go quite as Konata and Shiro planned. Konata tried to ask out Shiro as they cleaned up after Potions, but she felt Snape staring them down and hurried out the door. When Shiro approached her as they headed down to dinner that day, Harry asked Shiro if he wanted to hang out later. During Care of Magical Creatures the next day, Konata fell into Shiro when jumping away from revolting creatures called Blast-Ended Skrewts, and started to tell Shiro she liked him; conversely, Hagrid called them over to pick out a Skrewt to raise. Shiro was going to ask her on the way up to bed that night, but she was with a group of friends. Konata almost asked him at breakfast, but Peeves the Poltergeist dropped water balloons on her and she had to go dry off. Shiro succeeded in getting her alone that night, but Ron walked up and asked if Shiro knew anything about the twins' plans for getting their names in the Goblet of Fire.

It wasn't until about a week after school started that they found success.

"Professor Flitwick?" Shiro asked hesitantly one Friday night.

"Yes, Mr. Ueda?" said the tiny professor without looking up from his work.

"I, er… I was wondering if I could have permission to go up to the Astronomy Tower."

Professor Flitwick began scribbling something on a piece of parchment. "If you're willing to scale that long walk." He smiled softly. Shiro sheepishly returned the smile, took the parchment (it read "_I, Professor Flitwick, head of Ravenclaw, grant Shiro Ueda permission to be in the Astronomy Tower")_, and bowed his head gratefully.

"Man, that IS a long walk," Shiro huffed a good amount of time later. He clutched his side and slid down against the wall, trying to catch his breath. It was then he detected a small amount of movement with his peripheral vision. To his left, a girl sat back against the opposite wall, her quill moving sluggishly across papers balanced on her knees. A light glowed from the tip of her wand, which was stuck behind her ear.

"Konata?" Shiro whispered incredulously. He immediately wished he hadn't said anything… There was no way it was Konata; how could he recognize her in the dark? Nevertheless…

The girl looked up, and from the light emanating from her wand, Shiro could see she looked as disbelieving as he felt. "Shiro?"

Smiling, Shiro stood and walked over to her. At the same time, Konata gathered up her belongings. In her haste, however, she dropped them all. Shiro chuckled and kneeled down to help her pick them up.

"No, no, don't bother. I'll get that stuff later. Thank you, though," Konata said quickly. Shiro nodded and stood, handing Konata her wand. His heart gave a sudden lurch: it was after dinner… Konata looked about as peaceful as she ever did… They were alone…

"So what were you doing up here?" he began, propping his elbows on the wall. Konata did the same.

"I wanted a head start on my Astronomy homework. I zoned out in class, though, so I have to look at the sky instead of consulting my memory about what was discussed in class," she explained. "What about you?"

"Oh, I just wanted to clear my head. Be alone for a while."

Konata looked abruptly alarmed. "Oh! I'll go, I've got most of it done, I can have someone help me with the rest…"

Shiro grabbed her arm before she could turn around, and shook his head. He smiled at her. "Nah, you can stay. If anyone was to be up here with me, I'd want it to be none other than you."

Konata blushed lightly and turned to face the grounds again. "W-wow, it's really, REALLY high up here…" she whispered. "I-I guess that's to be expected, I mean, it's the highest tower." She chuckled nervously and gingerly gripped Shiro's sleeve. "If I fall, you're coming down with me."

Shiro took a side step closer to her. "Every time."

It was silent for a moment, until two voices said, "I have to tell you something." Konata and Shiro glanced away from one another for a moment. "Y-you go first," they told each other.

"Uh… At the same time?" Shiro offered.

Konata nodded, her eyes drifting up to meet Shiro's. "Okay. On three?" Shiro nodded. "One… two… three."

They gazed unintentionally into each other's eyes, and declared in perfect unison, "I think I'm in love with you."

Their hearts simultaneously skipped a beat; they were silent in shock for a few tense seconds. "I…I was kidding, you know," Konata whispered. Before the feeling of dread could take its full effect on Shiro, Konata put her hands on his and added, "I AM in love with you. I don't THINK I am."

Shiro felt immense relief swell up in him, and he slid one of his hands away to put it atop Konata's. "I'm certain I love you too, Konata. Would you happen to be looking for a boyfriend?"

"Why yes, I am. I have some priorities, though: he must be Shiro Ueda."

Shiro grinned. "Oh, well I don't know anyone like that." He slipped his hands around Konata's waist and pulled her close to him; she softly pressed her palms against his chest and rested the side of her head on his front.

"_Don't let the sun ever rise," _they thought, "_even if it makes me freeze… I want the night to last forever so this moment will never end. Besides… I have the one I love to keep me warm."_


	20. Chapter 20: The Tournament Begins

The next morning, Konata and Shiro entered the great hall holding hands. When they met up with Blaze, she just looked at them casually. "You two got together? It's about time."

Konata smiled and nodded, blushing slightly; Shiro patted Konata's arm and declared, "Yup, Konata is now my snuggly-bumpkins."

Both girls gave him an odd look. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Watch you language, Alexanders!" Shiro sang.

Blaze stuck out her tongue, then grinned. "Congrats, you two."

The rest of the month was fantastic. The new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Mad-Eye Moody, was no Lupin, but an interesting professor nonetheless. Being a former Auror, he had quite the experience with the dark arts, and even had permission to demonstrate the Unforgivable Curses- _Crucio _the torture curse; _Imperio, _the controlling curse; and even _Avada Kedavra, _the killing curse. Fortunately, he demonstrated them on insects… at first.

Aside from the interesting but frightening DADA sessions, constant word of the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students' upcoming arrival circulated around Hogwarts. Rumors about the foreign students- from France and Bulgaria- were started, though nobody entirely believed them. They were all either confirmed or stomped down on the 30th of October.

Both schools made breathtaking entrances. The Beauxbatons boys and girls were transported in a colossal carriage by numerous gigantic, gorgeous horses. Their headmistress, Madame Maxime, stepped gracefully out of the carriage; the jaws of most of the Hogwarts students dropped: the woman was at least 7 feet tall.

After she had a brief, friendly discussion with Dumbledore (who kissed her hand), she led her students, dressed in dashing blue, inside. "Blimey," Shiro breathed as the Beauxbatons girls swept by. Many of the Hogwarts boys were whistling.

Konata nudged Shiro in the arm with her elbow, hard. "You have a girlfriend now, Shiro. You can't be checking out other girls right in front of her."

Shiro rubbed his bruising arm. "Ah, but you're SO much lovelier than all of them combined." Konata chuckled quietly and entwined her fingers with Shiro's.

The Durmstrang boys arrived by a humongous ship, which magically rose from the depths of the lake. "I hope it didn't run into the squid," Shiro murmured. Somehow, Konata figured he wasn't concerned for the safety of the ship or even the students as he was for the squid.

Dumbledore had set up an Age Line around the Goblet of Fire, which would determine who would compete in the tournament. The Weasley twins attempted to defy the line with an aging potion… and ended up heading up to the hospital wing with long white beards.

From Beauxbatons, a rather proud, silver-blonde haired girl named Fleur Delacour was selected. From Durmstrang, it was 18 year old Qudditch legend Viktor Krum (the Great Hall exploded with applause with his selection, especially the Gryffindor table. Unfortunately, the Durmstrangs sat with the Slytherins). And from Hogwarts… 17 year old Hufflepuff Cedric Diggory was selected. Almost all of the Hufflepuff table got to their feet to clap, cheer, and woot in pleasure, Konata being one of them.

"You have a boyfriend now, you know," Shiro reminded her when she finally sat down, grinning like a fool.

"Ooh, jealous, are we? Doesn't feel so great, huh? Don't worry, I'm just a fan. Nothing personal. I suppose we're even now." Konata stretched across the aisle and pecked her lips against Shiro's cheek, causing his face to go crimson.

Everyone thought it was decided- as it should have been- until another piece of parchment spat out of the flames. On it read Harry Potter. Shiro's eyes widened.

"What! Harry specifically told me he wasn't entering! There's no way he'd lie… Besides, there's no way he'd break such a significant rule, put himself in danger like that, OR expose himself so easily!" he hissed. Konata just shrugged, shocked stiff. She liked Harry, really she did… But he was robbing her House the chance at honor that it deserved yet almost never received. She was secretly chanting "Down with Krum, Delacour, and Potter, up with Diggory!" in her head.

A bit more than a month later, the first task was held. Everyone gathered in the completely changed Quidditch stadium, many people (especially Slytherins) sporting badges that flashed "Potter Stinks." It took all Shiro's willpower to refrain from clawing Draco's eyes out for starting the trend.

Blaze, Konata, Shiro, and Sakura found seats in the exact middle row of the stands. Satoshi sat with Jeffrey, the Weasley twins, and two blonde girls that had to have been twins themselves a few rows forward. Shiro put his arm around Konata's shoulders, and she snuggled up as close to him as she could; Blaze was fighting the strong urge to flash them a disgusted look, so she settled with nonchalantly rolling her eyes.

When the task at hand was revealed, gasps arose from all around. Blaze and Sakura's eyes widened; Konata covered her mouth with a gloved hand; Shiro grinned wildly: the four champions would have to retrieve golden eggs from real, live dragons.

Everyone was on the edge of their seats, literally, screaming and gasping and cheering and booing. Cedric's plan was to transfigure a rock into a Labrador and have the dragon be distracted by it. This was effective for a while, until the dragon decided Cedric was a better target. Konata cried out in terror along with hundreds of others when Cedric got burned. All in all, though, he made it out fine.

"Wonderful, now you can make pretty Hufflepuff babies with him," Shiro muttered bitterly.

"Oh, don't be so jealous, hun! I love YOU. Not Cedric," Konata assure him.

"I wouldn't be so sure, Shiro. You two haven't even kissed on the lips yet," Sakura remarked. Although they blushed, Konata and Shiro decided to ignore the comment.

Fleur used some sort of charm that was supposed to put her dragon in a trance, and it worked for the most part. Viktor shot a spell in his dragon's eye, and though it was very successful, the dragon ended up squashing some of the non-golden eggs in agony, which the champions were supposed to prevent from happening. The best was certainly saved for last.

"A Hungarian Horntail… That's one of the most ferocious dragons alive," Shiro breathed, staring at the creature in awe.

"Harry's going to get CREAMED," Sakura murmured.

"YOU CAN DO IT HARRY!" Shiro, Konata, and Blaze shouted with an undertone of uncertainty.

However, Harry most certainly COULD do it. He summoned his broom, the legendary Firebolt, and used his Quidditch skills to avoid the dragon. In the end, he'd retrieved the egg the quickest out of them all.

"Brilliant! Bloody brilliant!" Shiro cried, standing up to clap. Konata was doing the same, but she looked rather shaken, as if it had been her who had just narrowly escaped a dragon.

"If dragons were only the first task… WHAT could the second and third ones be?" she wondered aloud nervously.

"Maybe they'll have to piss Shiro off," Blaze mused.

"Oh don't even joke about that!" Shiro snapped. Still, the smile wouldn't come off his face.


	21. Chapter 21: The Yule Ball

The next big source of excitement was word of the Yule Ball: a chance for students and staff to, as worded by Professor McGonagall, "let their hair down." It was the reason for the dress robes on the supply lists of students year 4 and up.

"I don't have the SLIGHTEST clue who I'm going to go with… I'm not even sure I'm going to go at all," Blaze sighed.

"Oh, you HAVE to! I want to see how GORGEOUS you'll look in your dress! Besides, it will be fun," Konata squeaked.

"Eh, we'll see. Has Shiro asked you yet?"

Konata slowed down her walking a couple paces. "No, not yet. I'm sure he will soon…"

Blaze nodded, then stopped walking altogether. "Well speak of the Devil," she said softly.

"Konata! A word, if I may?" Shiro called. A group of his friends were grinning and playfully elbowing each other as Shiro made his way over there.

"See you guys later," Blaze declared, giving a half-hearted wave and leaving.

"So. You, me, and the Yule Ball, hm?" Shiro declared smoothly.

Konata blushed lightly, but didn't notice it. "Naturally."

Shiro smiled in a surprisingly sheepish manner. He made a brief chuckle sort of noise. "Awesome. I'll uh… I'll see you around?"

Konata nodded. "Yeah, see you!" Shiro gave a miniscule bob to his head, turned on his heel, and rejoined his friends. They all pulled him into their little crowd, smacking him on the back and shoulders; some of them cheered.

The days went by rapidly. Every morning, Konata asked Blaze if she'd found a date; it got to the point that she learned to completely remove any speak of the ball from their conversations.

"Satoshi… I hate to ask another favor of you, since I still owe you one for helping me out with Konata, but..." Shiro had approached his brother before lunch on the day before Christmas: the date of the ball.

Satoshi wrapped his arm around Shiro's neck and gave him a noogie. "Ah, you don't ever have to repay me for anything, baby bro. But uh, don't quote me on that one."

Shiro grinned for a moment and pulled his brother's arm away from him. "So, have you asked anyone to the ball yet?"

"No I have not, actually. I'm torn between… er… 7 girls," Satoshi responded rather casually. "I've had lots of chicks ask ME, though."

"Seven? Jesus, Sato… Well, anyway. Would you… would you take Blaze with you?" Shiro requested hesitantly.

Satoshi blinked, temporarily speechless. He gave a little shrug. "Yeah… You know what, yeah." Satoshi smiled, not artificially. "I'll ask her."

Shiro's shoulders fell in relief. "Oh, great! Thanks, it means a bunch…"

The Yule Ball was opened by the champions and their dates: Cedric and Cho Chang; Fleur and a Ravenclaw boy; Harry with Parvati Patil; Viktor with, to everyone's shock, Hermione.

"Where is she… Where is she…?" Shiro muttered nervously. He was wearing a navy blue tuxedo with a white undershirt and black velvet tie. He had white gloves on his hands.

"Perhaps she stood you up," suggested Draco snidely as he walked by, his arm entwined with Pansy Parkinson's. Shiro clenched his fist and teeth, sending his angriest glare at the blonde boy.

"Shiro! I'm so sorry I took so long, did I make you wait?" chimed Konata's voice, which sounded even more scattered and nervous than usual. Shiro quickly turned around, and his jaw dropped.

Konata wore a shiny, strapless pink silk dress which fell down to her ankles. There was a light yellow, almost cream, colored bow tied around her waist. She wore brand new half-inch heels with a silver floral pattern spiraling up to her ankles. Her hair had been curled so that it fell in ringlets, and pulled into a very high ponytail; just enough hair was free so that it framed her face symmetrically. She wore earrings that appeared to be real diamonds. Her makeup consisted of a tiny amount of silver mascara, very light red lipstick, a dash of rose-colored blush, and sparkly pink eye shadow.

"Blimey," Shiro whispered.

Konata's cheeks turned pink without help from the makeup. "Back at you."

Shiro gently took her hand and, without losing eye contact with her, bent over to kiss it. "Before we go in, I'd like to give you your Christmas present," he told her as he straightened up.

"Oh! Thank you loads, I didn't think to bring yours… It's back in my dorm…"

Shiro waved one hand dismissively, the other digging in his pocket. He removed a small, blue velvet box. He pressed it gently into Konata's palm. "Open it," he suggested quietly.

Konata gave a tiny nod, doing as she was told. Her eyes widened. "Oh, Shiro… Shiro, it's BEAUTIFUL…!" In the box was a dazzling necklace. On a silver chain was a heart shaped charm about the size of a girl's thumb. Though its outline was gold, the crystal-like center refracted red, green, yellow, and blue. "Thank you so, SO much… Thank you times infinity!" Konata breathed, carefully but hurriedly removing the necklace from the box. Smiling softly, Shiro took it and hooked it behind her neck.

"I'm very glad you like it. Come now, don't want to be late." He linked his arm with hers, and they proceeded into the Great Hall. The dining tables had been removed to create a sort of dance floor. Instead, multiple smaller, white clothed tables with a fairy lantern and flowers placed in the center dotted the sides. At the front was the staff table with an addition of seats for the champions.

"Hey you guys!" a feminine voice called excitedly. The owner of the voice tapped Konata and Shiro's shoulders; when they turned around, they saw it was Blaze. To Shiro's relief, she was holding onto Satoshi's arm.

"Merlin, you look AMAZING!" Konata gasped. It was rather true: Blaze's dress was a deep blue and descended all the way down to the floor, with one diagonal sleeve. A section of fabric on the side of the "skirt" part consisted of numerous silver sparkles, giving it the look of the sky on a clear night. Her normally semi-wavy hair had been straightened and highlighted a bit, as well as pulled up into a high braid that was currently laying on the front of her left shoulder. She must have put contacts in, for she lacked glasses. She wore small, golden star shaped earrings and a choker-like necklace to match. On her eyes was dark blue eye shadow and a few strokes of black mascara; her lips, light pink lipstick.

She grinned even wider. "You do too!"

"Hey, I'm gonna go get some punch. You want some too?" offered Satoshi.

"Oh, yeah, that would be great. Thanks," Blaze replied, her grin unfaltering. Satoshi nodded and headed off to the refreshments table.

"So you said yes to Satoshi, huh?" Shiro asked joyfully. Blaze nodded, and to the shock of her friends, her cheeks turned light pink.

"Blaze… Are you BLUSHING?" Konata questioned incredulously.

Blaze's face turned even redder. "I… might be… In all honesty, I've had a crush on Satoshi for a while now."

"Blimey mate, we're going to be in-laws!" Shiro declared gleefully.

"I wouldn't go THAT far. He'll probably dump me soon."

"Aw, Blaze, don't be such a downer!" Konata cried.

Blaze let out a short laugh. "Oh, I'm not being a downer: I just don't think Satoshi has the guts to deal with ME."

"Well, that can't be argued with," agreed Shiro, grinning.

"Yo, Blaze. I'm back," Satoshi called, holding two goblets filled with red juice. Blaze took hers and gratefully took a sip. It was silent among the four of them for a moment, until Blaze exclaimed, "Ah, shoot! One of my earrings is missing! One second, I think I know where I lost it…" She handed Satoshi her glass and hurried off to locate her earring.

"Students of Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang! I present you… The Weird Sisters!" Dumbledore shouted above everyone with a magically amplified voice. The Great Hall exploded with applause and cheers.

"I have their album!" Shiro told Konata, clapping wildly. Konata nodded, increasing her own applause. If Shiro liked them, she'd try to adjust too.

Satoshi's eyes began scanning the bouncing crowd, and he held out Blaze's glass to Shiro and Konata. "Give this back to Blaze, would you?"

The enthusiasm seeped out of Shiro's face. "What? Satoshi, where are you going?"

Satoshi gave an uncharacteristically mean-spirited grin. "You told me to take her to the ball. Well, I took her. Here's some advice, little brother: watch out for loopholes in your requests." Before Shiro could comment, Satoshi dashed off into the crowd. He found a girl with bleach-blonde hair and wearing a sea foam colored dress, and put his arm around her shoulders.

"That's one of the twin girls he was sitting with to watch the first task!" Shiro hissed, clenching his fist.

"I know that girl! She's a Hufflepuff fifth year, her name is Catherin Lumbach," Konata exclaimed.

A look of realization crossed Shiro's face. "The Lumbachs are Jeffrey's cousins… That's one of the girls he saw the Quidditch cup with!" Konata bit her lip, speechless.

"Guys… Where'd Satoshi go…?" Blaze asked slowly, situating her earring back into her ear.

Shiro sighed. "Blaze, I'm sorry… He…"

"He stood me up, didn't he?" Blaze inferred quietly. It was almost impossible to recognize her as the ecstatic girl that had walked into the Great Hall only moments before.

Konata and Shiro glanced at each other, and nodded morosely. "Well, listen to how hardcore this music is! Let's go party together, just the three of us," Konata recommended. Blaze gave a small smile.

"Yeah, okay. Let's go."

It wasn't long before the Blaze from earlier was back. Konata tripped over her dress over and over, and the trio laughed every time; Shiro sang along to nearly every song, and the girls mocked him when his voice cracked; they jumped around like total idiots, except everyone was doing the exact same, so it was perfectly fine.

"Okay, party people! It's time to sloooow it doooown!" the lead singer of The Weird Sisters declared.

"Blaze, Konata and I are gonna… er…"

"Yeah, I get it. I'll be over there," Blaze said quietly. Her dress swishing gracefully above the ground, she went off to a table. On the way, she bumped into someone. She began to apologize, until she saw it was Catherin Lumbach, hugging Satoshi's arm affectionately. Narrowing her contacted eyes, she quickened her pace. If she had been anyone besides Blaze, she probably would've cried.

"Oh, hey, this is a song from the Muggle world! I know this one!" Konata remarked once the dance floor had cleared of everyone who wasn't with a date. She locked her hands behind Shiro's neck; he wrapped his arms around her waist; they pressed up against each other and swayed back and forth peacefully.

"Hey, Alexanders. You want to dance?" Blaze, who was staring at the ground miserably, widened her eyes. There was no way that voice belonged to who she thought it did…

She looked up, putting on a glare. "You're joking, Malfoy."

Draco shook his head, putting out his gloved hand. Blaze stared at him skeptically. "What about Parkinson? I thought you were-" Just as she spoke, she saw a black haired Slytherin wearing a pale pink dress was running out of the hall in tears. Blaze sighed. "Believe it or not, I'm not stupid, Malfoy. I'm a Gryffindor. You're a Slytherin. Do the math."

"I don't care, Ale- I don't care, Blaze. You're different. You remind me of… Well, you remind me of myself."

"I'm NOTHING like you!" Blaze snapped. After a moment of Draco staring at her with a raised eyebrow, she murmured, "Okay, so I might be a tiny bit like you. But what about your perfect little reputation? Won't it be ruined if you're seen with me?"

"Yes, it will. So you KNOW I'm sincere."

They stared at each other wordlessly for a few more tense seconds, until Blaze finally smiled. "Okay… Draco." She put her hand atop his and got to her feet. "I'll dance with you." Smirking triumphantly, Draco led Blaze out to the dance floor.

"Hey, check out Ueda and Verdent," Draco remarked as he and Blaze got into slow dancing position. Blaze followed his gaze, and smiled softly.

Konata and Shiro were staring airily into each other's eyes. "You have… the most gorgeous eyes ever," Konata whispered.

"How odd, I was about to tell you the same," Shiro responded equally as quietly. He gave her a quick twirl, then immediately locked his eyes back onto hers. They gradually danced slower and slower, until they were standing completely still.

"You look beautiful on a daily basis, but you look exceptionally lovely this fine evening," Shiro told Konata gently.

Konata briefly gave a half smile, her eyes drifting to the ground for a quick second. "Thank you… I, uh… Thank you."

Shiro chuckled. "You said that already."

"Er, yes, I did." She slightly tightened her grip on Shiro's collar. Their eyes still locked on each other's, they leaned in a centimeter… Then another… And another… They advanced a few inches closer, closed their eyes, and their lips were locked on each other's.

Satoshi looked away from Catherin for a moment and whistled. "Looks like my little brother got his first kiss!"

Even though they'd moved away from each other, Konata and Shiro were still so close that their noses were touching. "Blimey," they whispered in unison, blushing.

"That wasn't Shiro's first kiss, you know," Draco told Blaze.

"Oh? And how would you know this?" Blaze grinned. "Were YOU his first kiss?"

Draco chuckled and gave her a twirl. "Nope. I'll tell you the story later. That is, if you ever let me see you again."

"Shiro! Come here, we gotta talk," Satoshi called as the students left the ball. Shiro reluctantly wished Konata a good night and said a final goodbye, waving at his friends that passed by. Blaze did the same, thanking Draco for asking her to dance in a bitter tone and giving him a quick hug before heading up to bed.

"I see you got some lippage, huh?" Satoshi exclaimed when Shiro came over to him.

Shiro's face went crimson. "Th-that's a way of putting it," he muttered.

Satoshi laughed, patting his shoulder. "That was your first kiss, wasn't it?"

"Actually, no… It wasn't." Satoshi stared at him blankly. Shiro heaved a deep breath. "Last year, during the time I was just beginning to defy Draco's deal, I was in the library. I thought I was alone, but then I saw Luna was there too… We started talking, since she was reading one of my favorite novels, a-and she was saying how she couldn't relate to the characters because they were getting so excited about their first kisses… I agreed with her, a-and we started talking some more, and right in the middle of a sentence, I… I leaned right over and kissed her!"

Satoshi was silent for a moment. "Bloody Hell, Shiro, why didn't you tell me?"

Shiro gave a small shrug; Satoshi laughed and ruffled his hair. "No matter, no matter. It looked like you had a good time tonight, I'm glad. And uh… Apologize to Blaze for me, 'kay?"

"Oh no you don't. That's YOUR job. Now, good night, Satoshi."


	22. Chapter 22: Satoshi's Social Life

Yo, Shishi! Where's your lovely little girlyfriend?" Satoshi called a couple days later. Shiro hesitated before walking over to him: he was surrounded by numerous guys Shiro barely even knew.

"She caught a pretty bad cold, poor thing. Madam Pomfrey won't let her leave the castle," Shiro answered, leaving footprints in the crunching snow as he ventured over to his brother.

"You tell her about Luna?" Satoshi inquired, motioning for Shiro to sit with him. Shiro brushed some snow off a bench and sat beside his brother, glancing at the others uncomfortably.

"Yeah… She took it very well. In fact, she told me how her first kiss was with Neville. Go figure."

Satoshi laughed for a moment, and then sighed dreamily. "I remember MY first kiss."

Shiro crossed his arms. "Yeah, right. And I remember opening my eyes for the first time."

"C'mon midget, even dudes like Sato don't forget their first kiss," one of Satoshi's cronies remarked. Shiro furrowed his eyebrows. Midget? That was a new one: he was rather tall for his age.

"It's true," Satoshi assured him. Shiro's shoulders fell. He agreed he was a midget? Oh, right. He was talking about his first kiss. "It was way back in my first year…"

"Of course it was," Shiro muttered under his breath. Satoshi either ignored or didn't hear him.

"It was with a nice blonde girl named Julia McElliot. I had just started getting into girls… Dad was a bit pissed about that- he started at the same age, and he didn't want me getting a girl pregnant before we married, like he did to Mum." Shiro flinched slightly. '_Yeah, tell EVERYONE our family's secrets_,' he thought bitterly.

"I'd had exactly four girlfriends before her," Satoshi continued. "Ah, the term 'girlfriend' is so innocent when you're 11. Basically you just think she's cute; carry her books on occasion; say hi to her at least 10 times a day; when someone asks if you have a girlfriend, you tell them 'yes' and state her name, and for some reason, it makes you feel incredibly proud.

"So, anyway. Me and Julia had been 'together' for 2 weeks."

"That was a record time for a relationship to last in our group," one of Satoshi's friends pointed out.

Satoshi nodded, beaming with pride. "Julia and I were heading up to our dorms- she's a Gryffindor too, see. We walked in the common room, and when I turned to say 'good night,' she gave me one right on the lips and ran off giggling like a fool."

Shiro whistled. "So what did you do about it?"

"The natural thing to do: the very next morning, I ended us." Shiro felt his heart shatter. Satoshi had given him such good advice on how to ask out Konata… Was he saying that now that they kissed, he should dump her? Satoshi seemed to pick up on his discomfort. "But see, this doesn't relate to you at all. One, Konata was your SECOND kiss, not your first. Two, I was real young and even more stupid and naive than I am now- yep, that's possible. You and Konata are at a good dating age. Besides, you two were made for each other. Hell, a ghost even told you so!"

Shiro shuddered. Even though he knew he could trust the spirits of his deceased loved ones, the thought of the undead still sent shivers down his spine. "So, er… You said she was a blonde. You certainly have a thing for blondes, huh?"

Satoshi grinned. "You bet I do. My favorite hair color on a chick. I admit, I do find Blaze pretty damn attractive, but a girl that could beat me in a staring contest and arm wrestling isn't exactly the type I'd want to date. Catherin, on the other hand… Things are getting real serious between me and her." A few of his group members gave sharp claps and "woots;" someone even went "You bet they are!"

"How long have you two been together?" Shiro questioned.

Satoshi leaned backward to stare at the sky, grinning amusedly. "Well, you see, Catherin has thought I'm cute since her first year- good taste, that girl. Her twin sister, Caitlyn… Yeah, she was pretty chill too. Catherin REALLY digged me, though. Remember that one time, when I was a third year, Jeffrey asked me to come to one of his family reunions with 'im? Well, the Lumbach twins were there. I started flirting them up; they both giggled, but Catherin was going real red in the face. She ran off before I was done.

"Caitlyn's a Ravenclaw, but I don't think you've seen her because she's always surrounded by her friends. Catherin kind of hangs back with a couple of friends, but she can be a real partier when you get her up to it. At the Quidditch Cup? Damn, that girl was FEISTY. Loved it. So, we started chatting, and we agreed that we wanted each other too much. We didn't want to really start until we were older, so we could do some more… stuff." Shiro had a feeling the "stuff" Satoshi had in mind wasn't innocent in the least.

"Nevertheless, when we heard about the Yule Ball, we agreed we'd hang out then. I think she might be the first chick I actually LOVE." Shiro suddenly got a very strange feeling inside. Satoshi was just now finding someone he loved after trying different girls for 5 whole years, yet Shiro had found his love after liking less than 5 people… Was he wrong to say he was in _love_ with Konata? Or was he just lucky, and found his love a lot quicker? Or, perhaps Shiro was just keener on finding someone he _loved_, not just a bunch of girls that he _liked_.

"On a slightly different topic… Caitlyn ended up going with Fred- you know, the Weasley twin- to the Yule Ball," Satoshi told Shiro abruptly.

Shiro tilted his head a bit. "Huh? I thought Fred was going with Angelina Johnson?"

Satoshi shook his head. "At the last minute, he handed Angelina to George and decided he much preferred Caitlyn." Satoshi motioned for Shiro to come closer, and whispered in his ear, "Don't tell anybody, but I saw Fred and Caitlyn snogging in the hall. They haven't admitted to dating though."

"Why are you telling me this exactly?" Shiro whispered back.

Satoshi pouted. "Don't you want to know all about your oniichan's social life?" Shiro wondered if he was blushing or not. He hadn't called Satoshi "oniichan," a Japanese term for "big brother," since he was little. Satoshi laughed and ruffled his hair."Now that I'm in a talking mood… Wanna hear how I met my BFF's Fred an' George?"

Shiro started to reply something along the lines of "Do I have a choice?" but ended up saying "Actually, sure." He'd known that he met Jeffrey when he moved into a house in their village with his father; however, Shiro didn't have the slightest clue how he'd come to be friends with the twins. He just… was.

"Ah, I remember it like it was 4 years ago… We were in our second year, and in Potions class…" Satoshi recalled dreamily.

Professor Snape stood at the front of the dungeon, scribbling ingredients onto the blackboard. He paused for a moment at the sound of snickering; when he glanced over his shoulder, however, the students were simply staring at him with bored expressions, so he returned to the board.

Satoshi sat with his elbow propped up on the desk, his chin resting atop his hand. He kept glancing at Jeffrey at the back of the room, wishing he was hanging out with him instead of stuck in this Hell-hole. His eyes drifted lazily to the red headed twins beside him. They were the ones who had been snickering. They had their hands clasped around something… Satoshi's eyes widened a bit: they were dung bombs.

He nudged the boy closest to him with his heel. "Where did you get those?" he whispered without moving his mouth or looking at him.

"Bought them," the red head replied in the same manner. Satoshi smirked very softly and tapped his hand against the twin's. The twin glanced down, and the faintest grin appeared on his face: Satoshi also held a dung bomb.

Except for the scratching of Snape's chalk, it was deathly silent in the classroom. Until… BOOM! Fred and George chucked their bombs underhand, right onto Snape's desk. He spun around, eyes blazing with abrupt rage, and yanked his robes to cover his nose. The students did the same, but the only thing in THEIR eyes was tears from the smell and laughing so hard.

"WHO THREW THAT!" Snape bellowed furiously. Nobody answered, but Satoshi and the twins laughed a bit harder.

"50 POINTS FROM GRYFFINDOR!" Snape shouted. The Gryffindors then reduced their hysterical laughter to small snickers. Once it died down altogether, leaving the room dangerously silent as they waited for the smell to waft away, Satoshi gave a miniscule nod at the twins and released his capsule. Everyone squeezed their noses tighter, almost suffocating with the combination of the gas and their rib-breaking mirth.

"Make that 100 points," Snape growled. The Gryffindors didn't care as much as they should have, though: the look on Snape's face was priceless. Satoshi slid his hand under the table, and felt two hands give him a low-five.

The twins and Satoshi left Potions class laughing their guts out. "Great minds think alike!" they exclaimed during a gasp for breath. They eventually calmed down and sat against a wall together.

"How come I'm not friends with you guys?" Satoshi asked.

The twins shrugged. "Good question," they said.

"I'm Fred," said one.

"I'm George," said the other.

Satoshi shook both their hands. "I'm Satoshi. 's a pleasure."

"Same," the twins told him.

Satoshi stood up straighter. "You know who you guys gotta meet? My pal Jeffrey. He's a Gryffindor too, you've probably seen him… Oi, there he is now!"

Jeffrey trotted over, waving Satoshi down. "Yo, that Potions class was SICK! You know who threw those dung bombs?"

Satoshi and the twins raised their hands; Jeffrey grinned broadly and let out a sharp laugh. "Epic! You guys are geniuses. Geniuses!"

"We've been told," the twins said, grinning proudly.

"So, Jeff, where were you?" Satoshi inquired. "You normally stalk me everywhere."

"Ah, you see, my cousins just started their first years here, so I've been showing them around." He grinned at Weasley boys. "They're twins, y'know. I could hook you guys up."

Fred and George smiled at each other in amusement, then looked back to Jeffrey. "Sure thing."

"They were only kidding, yet here Fred is, snogging one of the twins in the hallway." Satoshi clicked his tongue, smiling.

Shiro had been enjoying the story for the most part, until something dawned on him. The pleasure in his demeanor was replaced with annoyance. "I knew Snape didn't like you, and I SORT of got why, but… Geez, Satoshi! You could've gotten expelled for doing that to him!"

"Oh, he threatened me with expulsion when a couple of Slytherins pointed the blame my way." Satoshi shrugged. "I'm just too well liked to get banned from this place." A few of the guys behind him grinned and punched his arm, or gripped his shoulder, or ruffled his hair.

Shiro just sighed and got to his feet. "I'm gonna go visit Konata up in the hospital wing… See how she's doing…"

"Hey, before you go…" Satoshi called. Shiro glanced over his shoulder. "Is that a new scarf?"

Shiro instinctively glanced down at his neck. His old black and dark blue scarf had been replaced with a hand-sewn sky blue one. He couldn't help but smile. "Yeah, it was my Christmas present from Konata. She made it herself."

A chorus of "aw" rang out from Satoshi and his friends. "Cool, cool. The color really brings the bright flecks in your eyes," Satoshi remarked. Shiro dashed off before his brother or any of the other guys could see him blush.


	23. Chapter 23: End of Term Reconciles

Draco and Blaze didn't work out as Draco had planned. In fact, after the Yule Ball, Blaze went back to hating Draco from a distance. Her hatred, though, decreased by a good amount ever since they'd danced together, but she'd never admit it out loud.

However, Draco managed to mend ONE relationship.

"Draco Malfoy, would you mind explaining THIS!" Shiro growled heatedly one day, storming up to Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle. Shiro clutched an issue of the Daily Prophet in his hand, and his face was bright red.

Draco looked up casually and shooed his cronies away. "Depends. What is 'this?'"

Shiro pointed at an article, his hand shaking with fury. "In case you're too stupid and big headed to READ, this nasty woman Rita Skeeter, who takes everything she hears and juices it up to ruin peoples' lives, wrote about Harry again. Not only did she say some bloody lie about Harry and Hermione, but she says Harry is still sobbing his eyes out over his parents. Now, that's aggravating enough, but then it says: _Dear Harry has, however, found comfort in a Ravenclaw boy by the name of Shiro Ueda._ _I have seen Shiro with my own eyes, and what a dashing young man he is. His best feature is certainly his smile; I wouldn't be surprised if that's what won the heart of Gryffindor Blaze Alexanders. 'Shiro's the sweetest guy you'll ever know,' says his closest friend, Slytherin Draco Malfoy. 'He's an orphan like Potter, but UNLIKE him, he's never shed a tear over his loss. It's most regretful he's gotten to be friendly with a disgrace like Potter, but I'm always rooting for him.' _What IS this bloody nonsense?" Shiro crumbled up the Daily Prophet and tossed it on the ground. His eyes were alight with rage.

"Oh calm down, Shiro. Now you-"

"I most certainly will NOT calm down! Not only will people who were considering being my friend think I'm close to a revolting someone like YOU, but now the whole wizarding world knows about my parents' death! _I don't want people to know this!" _he hissed. He got so close to Draco's face, their noses were nearly touching. "And that little bit about Blaze… Blimey, Malfoy, I knew you hated me, but _this much?_"

"I don't hate you!" Draco exclaimed quickly.

"Well you sure have a lovely way of showing it."

Draco's usual stuck-up, devious expression vanished from his face. "I mean it. Shiro, I didn't say ANYTHING about you and Blaze. I swear in the name of Salazar Slytherin I didn't! And that other stuff… Yeah, I told her. I just thought that, if you won't take it from ME that you're still important to me, then maybe other people would try and convince you too and there'd be more of a chance."

Shiro sighed irritably. "Since when am I important to you?"

Draco's gray eyes seemed almost pleading. "In case you haven't noticed, I don't hang around the kindest of people. I mean, I'M not kind myself, but… Shiro, I miss having you as a friend. Of course, I wouldn't trade my current life for another- I DO adore my popularity and leadership- but if I could make any change, it would be that you're back in it! In all honesty, the only reason I have for refraining from being an even worse person than I am now… The only reason I ever feel any regret… is you! You're the yang to my yin, you're my conscience! Please… What can I do to make you at least hang out with me a bit?"

Shiro was silent for a moment. He'd never seen Draco so innocent, so vulnerable… "You could be less of a brat, and be nicer to people," he muttered. From Draco's silence, he knew that was apparently too much to ask. "You could… tell me how this Rita Skeeter woman has been getting word on all these people…"

Draco bit his lip, obviously weighing his decision. "If I tell you, will you be my friend again?"

"You sound like such a little child. But…" Shiro sighed. "I admit I've missed having a git like you as a companion. I won't be VERY close to you, but… Sure. We can be mild friends again."

A smile threatened to form on Draco's pale face. "Very well… You can't tell ANYONE though. You still owe me some for last summer, you know." Shiro nodded, wondering if he should tell people anyway. "Rita Skeeter… She's an unregistered animagus. She can turn into a beetle… She buzzes around eavesdropping and getting little interviews with Slytherins. I, er… I'm a bit like her accomplice."

Shiro was speechless for a moment; he only whistled. "Well, I DO still owe you for saving my life, so I'll keep quiet… Can you PLEASE try to be nicer? Please?" he spoke after a few seconds.

Draco's eyes wandered nervously. "I, uh… I guess I'll be nicer to SOME people, but you can't expect me to improve my behavior toward Potter, Granger, and Weasley…"

"Actually, I can. But, I suppose you have the right to enemies…" At that moment, Shiro did something that he wasn't even aware he was doing, nor would he ever have done if he was completely in his right mind: he took a jump-step forward, and gave Draco a hug. To make the moment all the more shocking, Draco gently wrapped his arms around Shiro's back in return.

"I'll… see you on September first. Maybe over the summer," Konata murmured at King's Cross station at the end of June. Lots of things had happened before the year drew to a close… Mainly the rising of Lord Voldemort, and Harry winning the Triwizard Tournament. Cedric would have also won, but…

"You're still upset about the Leaving Feast, aren't you?" Shiro inferred softly.

Konata gave a small nod, her emerald eyes beginning to water. At the usual celebrative end of term feast, everyone had raised their goblets to honor the death of Cedric Diggory. "I… I didn't fancy him, please know that. He just… He was a really nice boy, and was among the last people who deserved death, and gave my House the honor we've been deprived of for so long…" Her voice was distant and frail.

Shiro rubbed her arm comfortingly and used his thumb to wipe away a single tear that trickled down her face. "It's alright, love. It's summer break. Let's… put this behind us for the meantime, alright?" Wiping her eyes on her hand, Konata nodded and gently snuggled up close to him.

Shiro planted a kiss on her head. "I'll miss you a whole lot," he murmured.

"I'll miss you too," Konata agreed. "I hope we can see each other this summer…"

"Same. Here, I'll give you something to remember me by." Shiro cupped Konata's chin in one hand and gave her a light kiss. Konata blushed, but immediately dove to give him another. It wasn't long before Konata's hands were gripping Shiro's shoulders, Shiro had one arm around her waist and the other touching her back, their eyes were closed, and they were giving each other repeated kisses. Mischief seemed to roll her eyes in her crate; Tar stared at them, head tilted, from atop Konata's suitcase.

"KONATA ELIZABETH VERDENT, WHAT IN THE NAME OF MERLIN ARE YOU DOING!" shrieked a man's voice, causing the couple to rip away from each other. Konata's face glowed crimson: she hadn't yet told her parents she was dating Shiro.

"D-Daddy! I, er, h-hello!" she squeaked. Shiro's cheeks were also burning pink, and he looked as flustered as someone who had been awoken by pie in the face.

"Don't 'h-hello' me young lady! What in BLOODY hell do you think you're doing, sucking face with that boy!"_This is worse than getting a howler in the mail_, Konata thought as she noticed a significant number of people turned to face them.

"Oh, lay off it, Will. Shiro is a wonderful boy from everything Konata's told us about him, I say it's about time they got together," sighed Mrs. Verdent. She gave the couple a warm grin. "It's lovely to see you, Shiro. And I've missed you so much, Konata, dear."

Tongue-tied, Konata and Shiro just nodded. "Shiro, c'mon! We gotta go!" called the voice of Satoshi. Shiro snapped out of his trance and quickly said, "Nice seeing you Mrs. Verdent, Mr. Verdent. Have a wonderful summer… See you, Konata." With a quick peck on her cheek, he grabbed his cart and steered it off to his brother and sister.

Before Konata could receive the scolding of a lifetime by her father, Blaze conveniently trotted into view. Konata spun around to face her. "Hey, you! At Hogsmeade you said you'd catch up with us, but we didn't see you…"

"Yeah, sorry about that… Hermione asked me to sit with her, Ron, and Harry, and I didn't get a chance to tell you and Shiro… The three of them, plus the Weasley twins, hexed Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle at the same time. The results were bloody brilliant! Draco sprouted some form of tentacles on his face…"

Konata grinned a bit. "You called him _Draco_ instead of _Malfoy._ How sweet!"

Blaze's cheeks uncharacteristically turned a light shade of pink. "Shut it you. Besides… When we get back to Hogwarts, I plan on asking out Satoshi."

"Adorable!" Konata squealed, bouncing over to retrieve her cart. Blaze just sighed, smiling good naturedly, and fetched her own cart. As they proceeded to the parking lot, Blaze kept eyeing Konata silently. After a while, she smirked a little. "Oh my god. Konata, were you snogging Shiro in front of your parents?"

Konata's face flushed. "H-huh! We were not SNOGGING!" she cried.

"They were definitely snogging," Mrs. Verdent whispered to Blaze.

"MUM! H-how did you come to that conclusion, anyway, Blaze?" Konata asked, her voice so high it was almost a whine.

Blaze winked. "It's written all over your face, honey."


	24. Chapter 24: 12 Grimmauld Place

"Blimey, why are we staying HERE?" Satoshi asked, his face twisted up in disgust.

"Don't be such a girl," Sakura told him as she strode into the building. "Disgusting" didn't even begin to describe Number 12 Grimmauld Place. The walls were chipped and poorly painted, dust, grime, and mold coating every visible surface. There was a disturbing feeling that you were being watched every step you took.

Satoshi sighed, shifting his travel bag to his other arm. "Why are we at this dump, anyway?"

Mr. Dopple was sure that the door was closed firmly behind him, then turned to face the Ueda kids. "This home is invisible to Muggles for a reason. This is the headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix."

Sakura and Shiro widened their eyes; Satoshi's jaw dropped. "You two are members?" they gasped.

"WERE, yes. But with some recent… happenings, we've been invited back," Mrs. Dopple explained. She gave a motion with her hand. "Come now, the others should be having lunch right about now…"

To their surprise, the kids actually recognized some of the large group: their Professor Lupin, Professor Mad-Eye Moody (the real one, they assumed, as opposed to a disguised Barty Crouch Jr.), a majority of the Weasley family, Hermione, and Harry.

"Oy! Shiro, I didn't know you'd be here!" Harry called, pushing back his chair. Grinning, Shiro jogged over to him.

"I didn't even know where I was going, let alone who I'd see here… It's great that you're here, mate! You too, Ron, Hermione."

However, the presence of some of his companions didn't help to improve his stay. The place was horrid, and nearly every cabinet or door contained some type of creature that would hiss and zoom at you. Shiro shared a room with Ron and Harry, which consisted of three creaky, torn up beds, with a blank painting on the wall. It gave him the creeps.

A few things, though, did make everything bearable. First off, Mrs. Weasley was a very talented cook, so the meals were to be looked forward to. Shiro quickly became fond of lots of other witches and wizards in the Order (the Uedas particularly liked a young witch called Tonks, who was a Metamorphmagus). At breakfast one morning, Satoshi recognized Sirius Black and whipped out his wand, putting his free arm protectively in front of Sakura and Shiro.

"It's alright, Satoshi, Sirius is fine. Long, complicated story short, he's not a murderer: he was framed," Lupin assured him, lowering Satoshi's arm. In the end, Shiro ended up taking a liking to Sirius.

One day during lunch, he noticed Sirius explaining the tapestry of his family tree (12 Grimmauld Place used to be home to the Black family) to Harry. He himself, as well as Tonks's mother, had been burned off.

"Reminds me of my own family tree," Shiro commented quietly. He blushed as Sirius and Harry turned to look at him. "Oh, sorry, talking to myself… I was, uh, just going…"

Sirius shook his head, unkempt black hair smacking him lightly in the face. "No, why don't you tell us what you mean about this reminding you of your family tree?"

Shiro took a few steps forward, eyes glued to the tapestry. "The Uedas had always been obsessed with blood purity… My father's parents didn't much care for it, so for that reason, their names are very light on our tree. There, but hardly noticeable. Because of his parents, my dad was already light on the tapestry, but he was removed completely after marrying a Squib. My mum and all her children weren't ever even put on," he explained.

Sirius nodded slowly, clearly taking in every word. "You know… You and I are probably related in some way or another. I think all purebloods are, with how little of us are left." Shiro gave a small nod, considering it. The Malfoys were on the Black family tree… Did that mean he was in some way related to Draco? If all purebloods were connected, he'd also have to be somehow related to Blaze… Well, he supposed, there's obviously no CLOSE relations. They were probably so distantly related they couldn't be considered relatives (which, he later discovered, was true).

There was one thing in particular that made the last bit of the summer worthwhile. Shiro awoke one morning to Jakkin perched regally on his master's pillow, an envelope clamped in his beak. Shiro yelped to wake up with his owl so close, but soon calmed down. Rubbing his eyes absent-mindedly, he sat up and took the envelope. "Just help yourself to your treats," he yawned, trusting Jakkin wouldn't sneak snacks without Shiro's permission.

What struck him as peculiar straight off was the bulk of the envelope. He slid his finger under the seal he recognized to belong to Hogwarts, wondering if it was just a special supply list. But, no: the envelope contained a shiny badge with the blue Ravenclaw crest on the front, and an informative letter stating Shiro had been chosen as a prefect.

Happiness with a dash of shock swelled up in Shiro's chest and burst like confetti. "A prefect…" he gasped out loud.

"You got one too?" came the choked voice of Ron. Taken aback, Shiro nodded. "Uh huh… You're it for Gryffindor? Congrats, mate!" He hoped his voice didn't sound too incredulous: he expected Harry to get it (though he had completely forgotten this was the year prefects were selected). "Hey, er, do you happen to know if there's a Muggle phone in this place?" he inquired.

Ron, who was still staring at his badge in shock, gave a small shake to his head. "I doubt it. The Blacks were totally anti-Muggle."

"Yeah, thought so," Shiro sighed, sliding out of bed. He hurriedly stripped out of his striped boxers and white T-shirt and threw on some clothes; he ran a brush through his hair and then ran off to see if one of the Order members had a Muggle phone with them. Sure enough, one of them did, and he dialed Konata's number without delay.

"Verdent residence, this is Konata speaking," chimed a familiar voice into the phone.

"Konata! It's me, love," Shiro said quickly.

"Oh my gosh! Shiro, hi!" Konata gasped.

"I'm sorry I couldn't contact you before, terribly busy… I can't tell you where I am right now, top secret stuff… I would if I could, honest. But, anyway, not why I'm calling… Guess what I got in the mail this morning? Don't guess, I'll tell you: a prefect badge!"

"Prefect! Blimey, Shiro, congratulations! I knew you had it in you!" Konata squealed.

Shiro beamed. "Ah, thank you. Ron and Hermione are for Gryffin- oh, Mrs. Weasley is calling me… Got to go, love. I'll see you September first." He made a kissing sound (like "mwa") into the receiver, and though she was dying to ask why Shiro was with the Weasleys, Konata returned the noise.

"Yes, Mrs. Weasley?" Shiro called, hanging up the phone.

"Could you be a dear and go see if your brother is up?" Mrs. Weasley asked, beginning to start breakfast. Shiro nodded: this would be a perfect opportunity to show his brother what he'd been awarded.

Shiro stared at his badge as if it was his newborn child. He walked quickly to the room his elder brother shared with the Weasley twins, his mind swimming with fantasies of his future as a prefect. He bumped into multiple things on his way, though he didn't care. "_Prefect. I'm a prefect," _he thought, unable to wipe the grin off his face. His eyes still glued to the pin, he groped the door for its handle and flung it open. "Satoshi! Satoshi, Satoshi, Satoshi! Look, I-" Shiro stopped dead. The pleasure abruptly vanished from his face, as if it had Apparated away. "S…Satoshi… Are you… _CRYING?" _he asked in an incredulous whisper.

Satoshi was stretched out on his partially broken bed, hugging one leg tightly to him. His face was pressed against his knee, and tears were streaming down his face. He looked like he could be a statue, until he slowly shook his head. "Eff off."

Shiro strongly considered reminding him to watch his language, but instead hesitantly sat beside him. "This is so unlike you. C'mon, what's up…?"

Satoshi glared at him, propping his chin on his knee. "You don't wanna hear my damn sentimental crap."

"Yeah I do."

Satoshi sighed, suddenly pulling Shiro into a tight hug. "This year… This would be when Sana would've started her first year at Hogwarts."

Shiro felt as if he had taken an arrow to his heart. He completely forgot about the cheerfulness he'd been experiencing all morning. He wanted to cry too, now. "I MIGHT have expected this from Sakura, but you…"

Satoshi hugged him tighter. "That's why I'm crying, dingbat. I've always been the cool one, the troublemaker. The one who snogs girls he's known for 20 minutes. The one who should've been expelled from school. Don't get me wrong, I love being that guy- Dad… Dad was always so proud, since he was just like me- but… That's not ALL I am." His voice started to crack. "I have a heart too. You'd always expect me to prefer hanging out with a group of dudes and some hot chicks instead of my family, but, I got a soft side, y'know? You don't know the half of how proud I am to be you and Sakura's brother. I-I loved the twins and Sana a whole lot too. I _miss_ them, Shiro. Them, Mum, and Dad." Satoshi's voice quivered with sobs. "_I miss them so bloody much_."

Shiro didn't know quite what to say. Though he was the mature one, Satoshi was the strong one. To see him like this was a bit scary. Biting his lip, Shiro gently hugged his brother, but Satoshi shook his head and moved back. "I'm sorry, bro. I just… gotta calm myself," he murmured. Shiro nodded.

After a couple partially awkward minutes, Satoshi had evened his breathing and dried his eyes, which floated down to Shiro's hand. He smiled gently, unfolding his brother's fingers. "Blimey, is that a prefect badge? Well done, mate, well done. Only to be expected, of course." He ruffled Shiro's hair, giving off a warm vibe of pride. Shiro's eyes widened as he realized how incredibly similar to their father Satoshi was when he was being brotherly like this.

"I, er… Mrs. Weasley wanted me to see if you were up, so I assume breakfast will be ready soon," Shiro said quietly. Satoshi nodded, getting to his feet and stretching. He turned to Shiro and, to his brother's surprise, kissed him on the head and then the cheek. "That second one is for Sakura. Pass it on for me, alright?"

Shiro gave a small nod, looking quite dazed. "Yeah… I'll do that." So the moment he found Sakura, chatting with Ginny and Tonks, he gave her a kiss on the cheek and said, "That's from Satoshi." He just laughed at her blank expression and added, "Don't ask. By the way! Your big brother is a prefect now!"


	25. Chapter 25: Konata's Parentage Secrets

Meanwhile, Konata stood by the phone, staring speechlessly at the ceiling. Even the abrupt arrival of Blaze in the kitchen didn't snap her out of her dreamy trance. "What happened to you?" Blaze inquired. Konata turned to her airily.

"Guess what phone call I just got?"

"What phone call did you just got?"

Konata forgot to laugh. "Shiro is a prefect now! So are Hermione and Ron."

Blaze grinned very convincingly, but even if it had been faked Konata was too distracted to have been able to see through it. "Wow, that's great! Congrats." Her smile faded a bit. "Just, don't let that your boyfriend's a prefect get to your head…"

Konata shook her head quickly. "Oh, don't worry, I won't! Well, I HOPE I don't."

Blaze simply shrugged. "By the way… You got this letter. Not sure who it's from." She held up an envelope which Konata quickly snatched with a "Thank you." She ripped it open and scanned the letter with her eyes. Her grin broadened.

"Oh, wow! Hannah is a prefect too! She says the male prefect is Ernie- Ernie Macmillian. If you ask me, those two would make a lovely couple." Blaze just nodded politely. For a few moments, it was silent between the two girls- awkwardly so for Blaze, but Konata was too joyful to notice. The silence was broken when Mr. and Mrs. Verdent entered the room. From their expressions and the atmosphere around them, it was quite evident they'd been fighting.

"Konata, sweetheart… We have to talk for a moment," Mrs. Verdent said quietly. She glanced at Blaze, who immediately swept back to her room: she knew well enough that she need not get involved with a family situation.

"What's up…?" Konata asked hesitantly, frowning. With a sigh, her mom took her hand and led her to the sofa, Mr. Verdent close behind. The three of them took a seat on the couch, Konata in the middle.

"Honey… After all these years, it's nearly impossible to tell you this…" Mr. Verdent began slowly. Konata's frown deepened, and she slightly shifted uncomfortably.

"I'm… I'm sure you've thought or been told you don't quite resemble us," Mrs. Verdent said quietly, appearing like she was on the verge of tears. Konata nodded. It was true: neither of her parents ever had brown hair, and they both lacked Konata's eye color.

"Well darling… It's because…" Mr. Verdent took a deep breath. "We're not your real parents."

Konata caught her breath. "Come again…?" Mr. Verdent pressed a photograph into the palm of Konata's hand. She stared down at it: it showed a young woman that looked exactly like Konata, but with light blue eyes. Sitting beside her with his arm around her affectionately was a blonde man with emerald green eyes. In the woman's arms, wrapped in a pink blanket, was a small baby who couldn't be more than a couple weeks old. "Konata… This is you as a baby, with your biological parents," Mr. Verdent told her softly. "Both of them… were purebloods."

Konata's jaw dropped. Throughout her terms at Hogwarts, she'd always thought she was a Muggle born, when in truth she was a pureblood witch? "What happened to them…?" she asked in a whisper, though she dreaded the answer.

Tears were now falling gently down Mrs. Verdent's face. "When you were a year old… the Dark Lord murdered them both. They left us in custody of you… We were the only Muggles who knew they were magic. When you were born, your mum was 21 while your father was 24, and they had JUST married… Your da- William, I-I mean- was 23, and I had been 22, and we were just dating at the time…" She sighed between her tears. "We wouldn't have found each other without your parents.

"Anyway… The four of us all lived in the same neighborhood. Your parents were overjoyed when they learned you'd be born, but terrified at the same time. They knew they were threatened, being blood traitors, so they said if anything was to happen to them after they had you…" She shook her head, hugging Konata close to her. Mr. Verdent stroked his daughter's- well, ADOPTED daughter's- back.

"Konata… I never wanted to have children, I'll admit that." Konata felt tears spring into her own eyes as he said this, and wanted to jump up and run away. But, he continued: "Still, I love you unconditionally, and I'll _never_ regret raising you. I'm sorry if I'm rough on you at times…" He lowered his voice. "I just don't want anything to happen to you, like it happened to your parents."

Trying to make her lip stop quivering, Konata pulled away from her parents and shook her head. "No. Stop it."

Mrs. Verdent attempted to dry her tears. "Sweetheart, I-"

"I understand that… that most of my life has been a lie," Konata interrupted. "But… I-I don't blame you guys. I can't explain it, I just… don't. Stop saying 'your parents.' I don't want to know anything else about them- not their names, not what they were like… It may not be by blood, but, YOU two are my parents. You always have been, and always will be."

At a loss for words, Mr. and Mrs. Verdent just glanced at each other, then hugged Konata tightly.

Blaze didn't quite know what to say when Konata told her about her parent situation, so the girls decided to abandon the topic. Instead, they discussed what was to come in their fifth year at Hogwarts. They talked about O.W.L.'S, their predictions about the new DADA teacher, and, of course, who'd been appointed prefects. There was one topic, though, that Konata threw upon Blaze unexpectedly.

"Alright, so those big exams and new professor and which of our friends and enemies are prefects are all important, but what we REALLY must talk about is you and love!"

Blaze's cheeks burned lightly pink. "I… I AM going to ask out Satoshi when we get back- if he's single, that is. I mean, it's his last year: I can't wait much longer."

Konata squealed, clapping briefly. "Precious! You two would be SO cute… And like he could turn you down! You're YOU! Plus, if you two end up being together for years and years to come…"

"…we'll be in-laws!" Blaze finished, mentally groaning at her enthusiasm about being related to Konata. The bitterness in her head was soon replaced by cheerfulness, though, since Konata and Shiro WERE her best friends, and Satoshi could possibly be her first love, so for all of them to be related…

"I don't believe in perfection, but that would come pretty close," she whispered aloud under her breath.


	26. Chapter 26: Fifth Year Train

September first almost seemed to advance on them overnight. There were still a couple new things they'd needed supply-wise, so they headed down to Diagon Alley the day before the last day of August. Even though Mr. and Mrs. Verdent still seemed a little uneasy, Konata acted as if their discussion had never taken place and she still thought they were her biological parents.

"Ah, Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, how I missed you so!" Konata sang as she emerged from the column. This year, she wore her hair in an individual braid down her back. Blaze, whose own hair was nearly down to her bottom, ran up beside her, grinning from ear to ear. Konata suddenly stopped dead in her tracks, her luggage nearly tumbling off her cart and Tar almost falling off her shoulder. "Oy! SHIRO!" she called. The brown haired boy turned away from his siblings at the sound of his name, and his face immediately lit up.

The couple abandoned their carts, running at each other. Konata wrapped her arms around Shiro's neck and, his arms around her waist, he spun her around, lifting her in the air halfway through. After sharing a lengthy kiss that made Mr. Verdent cringe, they stood back to admire each other as if they'd been separated for years, not a few months.

"Oh, do I have things to tell you!" Konata breathed.

"I have a lot to talk about as well… Unfortunately, I'm not allowed," Shiro sighed. Konata shrugged, hugging him once more.

"That's fine. I wouldn't want you to get in trouble, being a prefect and all!"

Shiro smiled sheepishly. "Konata, just because I was appointed prefect doesn't mean I'm any different… I'm still your same old Shiro. Don't forget that…"

Konata gave a sharp nod. "I won't, don't you worry." She abruptly spun around to face her parents. "The train is going to leave soon… 'Bye Mum! 'Bye Daddy! I promise I'll keep in touch." With that, she hugged Mrs. Verdent, gave Mr. Verdent a peck on the cheek, grabbed her cart, and shot off toward the train. Blaze quickly said her goodbyes to Konata's parents before following after her, Shiro by her side.

"Geez, what are you, Konata's energy drink?" Blaze mused as they boarded the train. Shiro opened his mouth, but immediately looked like it'd be in his best interest not to say anything, so he closed it. Blaze raised an eyebrow; however, before she could question it audibly, Konata bounded over to them and grabbed their hands, seeking out an empty seat.

As they searched for a compartment with enough room for the three of them, Konata told Shiro some minor details of her summer, such as how the season finale of a Muggle TV show Shiro had gotten into went. ("Really? She ends up with HIM? These writers are mad!" had been Shiro's response.) No sooner had they found a place to sit that one of the Patil twins grabbed Shiro by the arm. Konata and Blaze never would have recognized her, but Shiro knew right off that she was Padma. "What are you doing?" she inquired, her tone of voice making it seem that it was evident Shiro was doing wrong.

Shiro seemed to shrink down a size. "Oh, right… I forgot…" he said in a small voice, turning to Blaze and Konata. "I'm sorry, I have to go do prefect stuff… I PROMISE I'll come back and sit with you if I can…"

Konata's face fell, but she still smiled warmly. "That's quite alright, you do what you have to do."

Shiro looked truly touched. "You're the best. You really are." He pulled Konata forward and placed a kiss on her lips, causing Blaze and Padma to roll their eyes; he reluctantly slipped out of the compartment and followed his fellow Ravenclaw prefect down the aisle of the train.

A bit less than an hour later, Shiro returned. Blaze felt a pang of guilt as she realized she didn't entirely want him to come back; she'd been having a perfectly good time with just Konata.

"So, I have another story I have to tell you. Do you have time?" Konata inquired, leaning into Shiro as he draped his arm over her shoulders.

"Mhm, I'm supposed to be patrolling the corridors, but really I just have to stick my head out every once in a while and we should be fine," Shiro responded with a nod. Konata then went on to explain how her parents had told her that she was adopted.

Shiro whistled under his breath when Konata concluded her tale. "Wow, that's… I don't know what to say… So you're a pureblood? I guess that explains why you weren't affected by the Basilisk back in second year," he said quietly. Konata gave a small nod.

"Bet Malfoy will get a kick out of that: me, the Hufflepuff klutz, a _pureblood_!" she mused, grinning. Shiro suddenly felt a bit uncomfortable, realizing he hadn't yet told his friends that he'd made up with Draco. He covered it up, though, with a smile and a nod.

"Now, just because I learned of my true blood status doesn't mean anything. I'm still your same old Konata," Konata told him with a wink. Shiro chuckled, lightly pressing his lips against hers. Blaze cleared her throat, but the couple didn't seem to notice: they leaned in for another soft kiss. Within a minute, Konata was so close to Shiro she was nearly on his lap; her hands were locked behind his neck; he had one arm around her waist, the other pressed against her back; though not rough, their kissing was no longer gentle. Basically, they were totally snogging.

Twitching slightly, Blaze waited for them to stop. Yes, they pulled away for a few seconds of air, but other than that… Blaze got to her feet with a groan. "My god! Save it for the bedroom, would you! It's great you two are together, really it is, but HONESTLY! I'm here too you know! If you excuse me, I'm going to go find Satoshi and his group, or Harry, or some Weasleys, or Dean and Seamus- heck! I'd even sit with Malfoy!" Gathering up her items, she pulled the compartment door open furiously and stormed off. Blushing deeply, Konata and Shiro slid away from each other, staring at the ground like little kids that had just been scolded.

A while later, Shiro was told that he needed to _get up _to patrol the corridors, so he gave Konata a final kiss before leaving her alone. She sighed, pulling her feet onto her booth and hugging her knees. She'd been without Shiro on the train before, but never had she been _alone_… The ride back to Hogwarts seemed longer than usual, and even painful.

"Blaze, I'm sorry!" Konata cried the moment she spotted her blonde companion at Hogsmeade Station. Turning to her, Blaze sighed.

"I guess I should be sorry too… I mean, maybe I was just, a little jealous that you two are so happily together and I've never had a boyfriend."

Eyes watering a bit, Konata gave her a hopeful smile. "Don't worry, I'm POSITVE you will by the end of this year! And it really isn't you who should be apologizing… Shiro and I should save the," she gulped, "snogging, for when we're alone."

"Well obviously."

"By the way… Did you end up finding Satoshi?" Konata questioned.

The stubbornness faded from Blaze's face, making her look 5 years younger. "Oh, yeah… I sat with him… I'm not going to confess yet, though. I want him to be alone when I do it," she said quietly. "Like that'll ever happen," she added in a mutter.

Konata shrugged. "Are you forgetting your best guy friend and my lover," it seemed the word "lover" was like a brief kryptonite to Blaze, "is Satoshi's brother? Shiro's crazy smart, he could probably come up with something to get Satoshi-"

"I appreciate it, but… Can you-"

"Not get involved with your love life?" Konata appeared utterly ashamed of herself. "Of course." Before Blaze could counter it, Konata exclaimed, "We better be getting on a carriage before they're all taken. Come along…" Sighing, Blaze followed after her.

Though neither of the girls noticed, the first thing Shiro acknowledged was that Hagrid was not the one calling the first years across the lake.


	27. Chapter 27:OWLs, Meetings,& Future Plans

A majority of the Hogwarts students knew straight off they would not approve of the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. She had a toad-like appearance, yet she wore a hideously pink cardigan and had a terribly high pitched voice. What really made everyone decide she was disliked was when she interrupted Dumbledore's opening speech. NOBODY had ever dared do that. What she had to say wasn't even deemed important: it was stuff about order and what this school needed, and it put the students almost to sleep. Blaze was awake enough, though, to hear Harry tell Ron he knew this professor- Dolores Umbridge- worked for the Ministry of Magic.

With that put aside, Konata had kept her word and did not allow herself or Shiro to get involved with Blaze's love life. For this reason, there wasn't a moment that Satoshi was alone. Blaze didn't complain, though: she thought that it would be truly the perfect moment if she ran into him and he WAS by himself for once.

Classes weren't enjoyable either. The big O.W.L. exams were coming up, and none of the professors deprived them of a 10 minute (at the minimum) speech about the importance of passing. Konata, of course, was a nervous wreck about it. She thought that her failure would cost her life (that wasn't her fault, though: the professors certainly made it seem like that was the case) and that said failure was inevitable.

"You'll do just fine, love. You've passed everything in the past, haven't you? Besides, Blaze and I will help you," Shiro assured her. Konata gave a small nod, leaning backward on the bench to stare up at the sky.

"They're really pressing us to think about our futures… Do you guys know what you want to be when you grow up?" she inquired in a dreamy tone. Shiro followed her gaze, smiling softly.

"I'd like to go into medicine and become a doctor, or perhaps a veterinarian... I don't know that I'd like to be a Healer, since I want to live in the Muggle world... It's always seemed so interesting."

Blaze smiled at him, closing her eyes and leaning back with her friends. "I've always wanted to be an Auror. That would be so amazing…"

Konata turned to her, her eyes alight. "If anyone can do it, you can! Well, you and Shiro, but," she looked at her boyfriend, "if being a doctor or a vet is what he wants, then he should chase that dream."

Shiro grinned, kissing the top of her head. "Now, what does Konata want to be?"

Blushing slightly, Konata resumed staring at the deep blue sky. "I'm not really sure… An author, maybe. Or maybe a preschool teacher…" Her face turned even redder. "I just know that I want to have a family. I-I've always imagined myself having, hm, three… kids."

Her blush intensified even further as Shiro gripped her hand. "How funny, I want the same thing. I'd prefer, let's see, _four_ kids, though. In the event that we end up married, however, I'd be fine with however many little ones you'd like." At a loss for words, Konata simply stared at the ground as Shiro affectionately pressed his nose against hers. Blaze cleared her throat, and the couple didn't make any romantic gestures or comments until after their blonde companion left.

After a month or so of school, Hermione approached Blaze at the Gryffindor table and told her about a meeting she'd be holding with Ron and Harry at the Hog's Head pub. She said it was for anyone who was interested in learning about _real, _hands-on defense against the dark arts, not the worthless things Umbridge was making them read about in class. So, Blaze told Konata and Shiro, and during the next Hogsmeade visit, the trio headed down to the pub.

This place was nothing like the Leaky Cauldron or Three Broomsticks. There was a sign above the door that displayed a severed boar's head with blood seeping onto a white cloth wrapped around what would have been its neck, and Konata immediately went green when she saw it. Inside, there were few customers besides the group gathered for Hermione's meeting, and every one of them looked shady. The dining area seemed like it hadn't been cleaned in years, as everything was covered in a thin layer of dust or grime.

"Satoshi said he couldn't make it, God only knows why… He told me to tell him everything we discuss today, and then he'll tell Jeffrey about it, and Jeffrey will tell Caitlyn and Catherin Lumbach- you know, his twin cousins- and Catherin will tell her friend Gaia, and Caitlyn will probably tell a few people," Shiro explained as he sat himself at a table nearby Ron, Hermione, and Harry.

By the time everyone had arrived, there was quite a group assembled. It consisted of Zacharias Smith, Anthony Goldstein, Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnet, Dean Thomas, the Creevey brothers, Terry Boot, Michael Corner ("He's dating Ginny, you know," Shiro whispered to Konata upon his arrival), Katie Bell, Lee Jordan, Justin Finch-Fletchy, Neville, Lavender Brown, Cho and one of her friends, the Patil twins, Seamus Finnigan, Sakura, Luna, Ernie Macmillan, Hannah, Ginny, Susan Bones, and the Weasley twins. "A _couple _people!" Shiro heard Harry hiss at Hermione.

Hermione went on to express her idea that Harry teach them dark arts in secret. Most of them were interested, but some, such as Zacharias and Cho's friend, didn't seem so sure. Cho's friend kept quiet, but Zacharias came right out and said he didn't support it. By the end of the meeting, however, everyone present signed their name on the list of members.

"Wow, a secret organization rebelling against the ministry…" Shiro whispered under his breath as he and Konata left hand-in-hand. Some sort of relief mixed with wonder gleamed in his eyes. "Brilliant! This should keep me from becoming a strict, 100% rule-abiding prefect." Konata chuckled, hugging his arm.

Shiro suddenly stopped, and scoped out the surrounding area. "No Blaze to be seen…" he murmured. Only a few seconds later, Shiro was leaning against a brick wall, Konata pulled to him, and the couple was snogging over and over. Though her face burned red, it wasn't long before Konata's mind was wiped of the fact that they were in public and deflected the disgusted glares shot their way.

'_Shiro… He's smart, he's funny, he's cute, he's sweet, he's a prefect… And somehow, SOMEHOW, he loves me,' _Konata thought blissfully. "What did I ever do to deserve you?" she whispered aloud, her eyes closed and her lips mere centimeters from Shiro's.

Shiro grinned softly, opening his eyes leisurely. He responded in a purr of a tone: "It's not that I'm the result of good karma or anything; you just happen to be the one and only person I love more than anything." He slid his wand out of his robes, gently grabbing Konata by the shoulders and making her step back. He took the gold-lined heart charm on the necklace he'd given her before the Yule Ball in between his thumb and pointer finger. "I know this was just a little present, but let's make it something… more." Raising his wand, he twisted his face in concentration as Konata stared at him in a politely puzzled manner. Shiro gave his wand a flick, then let the heart drop.

Konata turned the charm so that she could observe it herself. At first, everything looked exactly the same, until she noticed golden letters appearing one by one across the four-color center. She squinted, and noticed they spelled out one word: "FOREVER."

"Oh… Oh, Shiro, I…!" she breathed, unable to make anything else come out of her agape mouth. Shiro slid two fingers under her chin, cupping it. He placed a delicate kiss on her nose, causing her to blush.

"Consider it a plan for the future," he told her quietly.


	28. Chapter 28: Blaze's First Romance

Konata and Shiro were not the only ones who were expanding on their love lives. In Divination class, the students were required to keep a Dream Journal, in which they recorded everything they dreamt, to be interpreted in class. Konata was extremely embarrassed about hers, so to help her feel better, Blaze read hers aloud during a free period.

"I don't normally dream, but I did have this ONE…" she began, flipping to the first page of her journal. She quietly took a deep breath, her cheeks turning light pink. "I had this one, where I was walking to class. It was so realistic- the sounds, the smells, the feeling of people brushing past me- that I didn't even realize it was a dream. Until suddenly, everybody in the hallway just vanished. For some reason I was totally unaffected by this, so I kept walking… I ended up walking right into Satoshi. I must have had too much sugar before bed that night, because Satoshi had no mouth… Instead, he had a shirt that said 'I love you Blaze' over his robes. I went to kiss his nonexistent mouth, and he leaned forward too, but then I woke up."

Konata whistled softly. "Blimey, that's… That's some dream."

Blaze shrugged. "It better be, it's the only one I remember having in YEARS. So, let me see YOUR journal." Before Konata could open her mouth to either protest or agree, Blaze slid the journal out of her brown haired friend's hands. "Merlin, Konata! You've got so many pages full…"

Konata stared at the ground sheepishly. "I'm a very frequent dreamer…" Too discomfited to recite her dreams, Konata allowed Blaze to read through her journal. One was about a blue and silver butterfly with brown and black markings collapsing in her hand; its wings healed the moment it made contact with her skin, and it fluttered around her throughout the dream.

In another, she saw herself as the image of a typical housewife from a cheesy old movie: short haircut, slippers, and apron, and two round earrings. She held a baby in one arm, and was making a meal with the other. There was a little boy (he was described as having brown hair and an inexplicable face) clinging to her leg, and two other brown-haired children were running around in the background. A man that basically looked like a taller Shiro with facial hair entered the room, clutching a letter in his hand. He gave it to one of the kids in the background and said, "Send this to your brother and sister, please." The young boy ran out of perspective, and Shiro gave Konata a kiss.

"I've had a few of them like that," Konata murmured as a grinning Blaze handed the journal back to her.

"Well I think that's adorable," she assured her.

Konata offered a minuscule smile. "When you start dreaming about having a family with Satoshi, you've got to tell me all about it."

Blaze's face went scarlet as she quietly muttered her denial.

A few months into the school year, word got out that the Gryffindor Quidditch team was down three members: Harry, their Seeker, and the Weasley twins, their Beaters.

"What HAPPENED?" Shiro asked morosely. He'd just begun to get more into Quidditch (though he'd still never be caught dead playing it).

Blaze sighed. "Draco was talking bad about Mrs. Weasley, and made some remark about Harry's mother, so Harry and… Fred? George? I don't know, it was one of them- went after him. The twin that didn't attack him was held back, but says if he wasn't being held down he would've beat Malfoy to a pulp… Damned Umbridge decided if they couldn't control themselves, they deserved to be kicked off the team…" Blaze's frown seemed to disappear a bit, and her aura lifted. "Angelina is holding tryouts for replacements today, though…"

"So are you going to try out?" Konata asked eagerly. Blaze nodded, beginning to grin.

"Well good luck!" The Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff couple told her cheerfully. She opened her mouth to thank them, but then Satoshi jogged over to them followed closely by his usual group of friends.

"Guess where I'm going? Don't guess, I'll tell you: Qudditch tryouts!" he exclaimed.

Blaze felt her heart give a little lurch. "Yeah? I am too," she told him.

He turned to her, his joyous vibe increasing even more. "For real? Cool, cool." He roughly ruffled her hair. "See you on the field, blondie!" he shouted before sprinting off.

"You're never going to wash your hair again, are you?" taunted Shiro in a falsely dreamy tone. Blaze rolled her eyes, lightly smacked Shiro, and followed Satoshi out the door.

Tryouts didn't go quite as Blaze had planned. She was glad to see the people auditioning for Beaters weren't terribly good, which meant the positions went to Satoshi and Jeffrey. Angelina praised her grandly about her performance… Still, about 10 minutes after the last person tried out, she approached Blaze and said: "I'm really sorry to say this… You were bloody great, honestly you were, but… Our new seeker is Ginny."

Blaze felt her heart shatter. "Oh… Well, that's okay," she whispered. Her heart pieced itself back together, though, as she saw that Satoshi's friends were heading back to the castle, yet Satoshi himself stayed behind. Angelina was leaving as well… leaving her alone with Satoshi. _'It's now or never,' _she told herself. With a deep breath, she walked over to him.

"Aw, you look sad. Not get the position?" Satoshi inferred.

"Nah, Ginny's the Seeker now…" She shrugged. "I guess I don't mind that much though."

Satoshi lightly brought his fist against her shoulder. "That's the spirit." The two looked around awkwardly, both in their own thoughts. Blaze's heart was pounding. She'd been around Satoshi plenty of times… He was the brother of one of her best friends… She knew him well… So why did she feel so odd around him?

"Satoshi…" She took another deep breath, her cheeks light pink, her eyes unable to meet Satoshi's. She gulped. "Wanna, go out with me…?"

For a moment, Satoshi stared at her with a dumbstruck expression. Blaze's jaw almost dropped as she saw him blush. "You know… That sounds like a pretty damn good idea. You think you can handle me?"

Blaze gave a small smile. "Only if you can handle me."

Satoshi grinned. "I think I'm man enough. I guess we're girlfriend-boyfriend though."

"Yeah… So which one's which?"

Satoshi laughed and gave Blaze a peck on the cheek. "I wish you'd asked me out a while ago." With that, he turned on his heel and strode off into the castle. Blushing a bit more, Blaze lightly touched where Satoshi's lips had been mere moments ago. '_I'm dating Satoshi…' _she thought incredulously. She repeated it out loud, as if hearing the words come from her mouth would make them anymore truthful. She smiled dreamily; it felt as if she floated back inside.


	29. Chapter 29: Bittersweet Valentine's Day

The next Hogsmeade visit took place on the fourteenth of February- Valentine's Day. Konata squealed excitedly when Blaze said she planned to spend the day with Satoshi, but her shoulders fell sadly when Blaze added, "…on the Qudditch field. We have practice during the Hogsmeade time."

So, Konata and Shiro headed to the village by themselves. Shiro repeatedly tapped Konata's arm, pointing excitedly at Cho Chang. "Look, Konata! She's with _Harry_! Harry! They're going on a DATE! That's so bloody wonderful, those two are some of my best friends…" Konata smiled softly, staring after Cho and Harry. If Shiro was happy about it, she'd be happy about it.

"Where are we going to go? Window shopping? Three Broomsticks?" Konata inquired as she and Shiro walked through the village hand in hand. Shiro shook his head.

"I was thinking… There's this nice little coffee shop called Madam Puddifoot's. It's small, and pretty unnoticeable, but I hear it's the perfect place for couples on Valentine's Day…" Shiro paused and turned to Konata. "Of course, we won't go if you don't like coffee."

Konata quickly shook her head. "Oh, no, it's fine with me! I mean, I'm not too much of a coffee person, but I enjoy it when I put a ton of sugar and cream in it…" Shiro chuckled softly and led her down a tiny road they'd normally overlook. They entered a steamy little shop decorated with hearts, roses, and numerous frills and bows. Cherubs floated above tables for two, throwing pink confetti over couples. The air of romance was so strong, it almost had mass to it.

Shiro pulled a chair out for Konata, she thanked him sheepishly, and Shiro took a seat across from her. Madam Puddifoot shuffled over after not very long, and took their orders. The couple entertained themselves by playing Would You Rather until the woman came back with their coffees. Konata didn't hesitate to take the cup of milk and poured a little more than a quarter of it into her mug, adding 4 packets of sugar shortly afterwards. Shiro chuckled, added a drop of milk and single packet of sugar to his own, blew the beverage off, and then took a sip.

Gradually, Konata felt her shoulders hunch in awkwardness as she and Shiro drank their coffees in silence. Her eyes wandered around the shop, and felt her heartbeat change as she realized every single couple was either holding hands or kissing over the table. What really made her uncomfortable, though, was that more than once she noticed people look over at her and Shiro, give them unfriendly stares, and quickly avert their eyes. Her own gaze drifted over to Shiro's face, and before she could even blink he inched forward and pressed his lips against hers. Blushing, she closed her eyes halfway. She felt Shiro take her hand, and the moment he moved back, she put her lips back on his. After about 3 more kisses, Konata smiled timidly. It didn't last long, though, for now she could FEEL people sending them short lived dirty looks.

"What's everyone glaring at us for?" she wondered aloud quietly. Shiro glanced around, and his pleasure seemed to seep away.

"I haven't a clue…" He sat there pondering silently, until his concentration was interrupted by the arrival of another couple. He smiled slightly when he saw it was a fellow Ravenclaw, Roger Davies, along with his blonde girlfriend. The two of them sat at the table beside Konata and Shiro; Shiro leaned over and hesitantly tapped Roger on the shoulder. The older boy glared for a moment but quickly stopped when he saw who was touching him.

"Oh, hello, Shiro."

"Hi Roger. A quick question, if I may..." Shiro lowered his voice a bit. "Why are all these people giving Konata and I brief dirty looks?"

Roger's face looked a tad grim; his girlfriend looked like she wanted to stab Shiro for talking to her boyfriend during their date. Roger spoke quietly: "Well, see… It's fine that you two are being lovey-dovey here- that's what this place is FOR- but, word's got around that you two," he cleared his throat slightly, "snog openly, and often. The last Hogsmeade visit, in the halls, on the grounds… People think you two have no shame. I mean, I highly doubt you'll lose any friends over this, but people who don't know you personally are rather disgusted with you."

Shiro and Konata stared at him blankly, attempting to take in what he was saying. Konata's face grew increasingly red to the point that her eyes began to water. She propped her elbows on the table and buried her face in her hands. Shiro gave off the vibe of a puppy that knew they'd misbehaved and glanced at Konata sympathetically. "Thanks for telling us, Roger…" Roger nodded, pulled his girlfriend forward, and began kissing her repeatedly over the sugar bowl.

"Why have we not noticed before…?" Shiro whispered.

Konata's voice was semi choked. "I WOULDN'T have noticed… Remember how badly I was bullied way back in second year? Well, it's helped me to endure odd stares to the point that I don't even notice them..."

Shiro bit his lip. "And come to think of it, I probably would've dismissed any stuff like that because not everyone likes prefects…" He rubbed his temples. "Konata, love, I'm sorry… This is all my fault…"

Still red in the face, her eyes getting puffy, Konata suddenly faced Shiro. "No, it's not, honey! It's not like you force it upon me… We share the blame here."

Shiro sighed, stroking his girlfriend's hand with his pinky. He offered a feeble smile. "If you say so…" With that, they finished their coffees wordlessly, paid, and exited Madam Puddifoot's.

The couple spent the next few days being extra precautious. It was true that people were looking at them differently; as a result, Konata and Shiro refused to ever kiss- not even on the cheek. After about four days, however, they noticed that people were suddenly treating them the same once more.

"Have people been laying off about you and Verdent?" a smooth, masculine voice asked one day as Shiro was patrolling the halls. Recognizing the voice, he halted abruptly and was hesitant to turn around.

"Yeah, I have…" He sucked in his breath slightly. "Draco."

Draco Malfoy tilted his head with an odd smile on his face. "Glad to hear. Bet you wonder why people have changed their minds?" Before Shiro could respond, Draco strode over to him and lightly gripped his shoulder. "All students have a special," he gave a soft, malicious chuckle, "RESPECT for Slytherin prefects. I may have suggested that people lay off poor Shiro Ueda and Konata Verdent- you know, acknowledge all they did was kiss- or else there'd be… consequences. And you're aware of how quickly word spreads around this school…"

Shiro stared at him blankly. "Well, thanks, Draco…" Draco opened his mouth to speak further, but Shiro quickly interrupted with, "But I'm not going to make any deals with you. I know better than to repay you for anything."

Draco smiled malevolently. "I should have expected… A goody-goody like you is afraid to get his hands dirty in any way, hm?"

Goody-goody? Shiro did not particularly take fondly to that. '_I won't make any deal with him, no, but I CAN show him I can bend rules if I want,' _Shiro thought. But what could he do that wouldn't land him in a situation he'd regret getting involved in? He suddenly recalled Satoshi saying that earlier in the year, Umbridge deducted points from Gryffindor because he'd been snogging a girl in the hall, and the same happened to Jeffrey…

The sound of steps echoed throughout the hall. Shiro glanced around the corner to see Umbridge approaching. The opportunity was perfect, but how…? A crazy idea exploded in Shiro's head. Before he could shoot it down, Umbridge came into view, and… Shiro pulled Draco forward by the collar of his robes and gave him a kiss right on the lips.

Umbridge stopped dead, her disturbingly cheery smile faltering. "Oh, my… No public displays of affection, Mr. Ueda. 20 points from Ravenclaw," she declared in her sickeningly sweet voice. With that, she continued on her way.

Shiro stepped away from Draco, grinning triumphantly. "Well, it's no detention, but I did lose points for my house. A true goody-goody would never do such a thing."

Draco was standing statue still, shock covering his expression. He looked as though he'd been petrified by a Basilisk. "Shiro… You, you bloody GIT… You just KISSED me!" he gasped after finding his voice.

"I'm quite aware of what I did. Let's not let Konata hear word of this, hm?" Shiro exclaimed, clapping Draco on the shoulder. He then swept away, leaving a still stunned Draco behind him.

"Shiro, do you happen to know how we lost 20 points?" Padma Patil asked later that day. With his arm around Konata's shoulders, a permanent grin on his face, Shiro responded, "I don't have the slightest clue."


	30. Chapter 30: Satoshi's First True Love

It was unlikely that there was any Hogwarts student who was unaware of the fact that Satoshi had managed to keep a relationship lasting for over a month for the first time. What everyone found even more surprising was that he and this girl had not yet kissed- Satoshi usually started snogging a girl after being with her for less than an hour. It didn't take Ravenclaw smartness to figure out that Satoshi was, shockingly, very serious about Blaze.

"It's dreadful that Dumbledore's been replaced, isn't it?" sighed Konata one evening. It was true: after a quick series of events that seemed to be altered every time it was repeated, Dumbledore's place as headmaster was taken over by Umbridge. Not only that, but the Weasley twins had ended up setting off countless fireworks, creating a swamp in a hallway, and summoned their brooms before flying away from Hogwarts, bringing their seventh year to an early close.

"Yeah… Real tragic," Blaze replied absently. She had started doing an essay for Potions, but was now doodling pictures of flowers. Konata put down her own quill and grinned slightly at her friend.

"What's on your mind? There's obviously something."

Blaze shrugged, but a look of realization appeared on her face. "Hey, do you have the time…?"

Konata blinked naively. "Time for what? Oh! Oh, I see what you mean. It's, one moment… It's 6:00."

Blue eyes widening, Blaze shot to her feet. "Oh, blimey, I have to go…" she exclaimed, scrambling to gather her things. Without another word, she bolted off into the castle, leaving her friend to blankly stare at her back.

"Satoshi…? Satoshi, I'm here," Blaze called somewhere between five to ten minutes later. She closed the door to the empty Transfiguration classroom, looking around the room for her boyfriend. For a very brief moment she began to think she'd been stood up by him, but quickly reminded herself he'd told her to meet him there at 6:15; he probably would come at precisely that time, if not later than it.

Sure enough, at 6:16 exactly, Satoshi slid into the classroom. He flashed Blaze his winning smile, slipping his hands into the pockets of his robes. "Glad you showed up." Not positive what to respond, Blaze just returned the smile and nodded her head. "What did you want to meet me here for?" she asked. Satoshi stepped closer to her so that they were only a couple inches away from each other.

"I wanted… I wanted to try something," he told her. For the first time ever, Blaze saw that Satoshi appeared slightly unnerved. "Close your eyes," he instructed softly. Gradually, Blaze did as she was told. She felt her heart begin to beat faster. Now there was less than an inch between them… She could feel the heat emanating from his face… His breath tickled lightly against her nose… And before she knew it, there was a warm, moist pressure against her lips.

Blushing, Blaze dared to open her eyes. Just as she anticipated, Satoshi's mouth was on hers- in other words, she was receiving her first kiss. After a few moments, Satoshi moved back; however, Blaze gave a minuscule shake to her head and kissed him again. For at least a whole minute, the couple would release in order to breathe, then immediately kiss again. Eventually, they settled with pressing their noses together, staring into each other's dazzling blue eyes, and letting out very quiet laughs.

"That felt… Amazing," breathed Blaze.

"I'll say… Out of the tons and tons of kisses I've gotten, that was by far the best. That wasn't your first, was it?" Satoshi remarked in a dreamy tone.

"No, it was… Beginner's luck, I guess," Blaze responded with a quick chuckle.

Satoshi gave her an uncharacteristically warm grin. "Guess so. Well… I'll see you around."

Though she was a bit surprised they'd spent so little time together there, Blaze nodded. "See you." Blaze, of course, went off to share her news with Konata and Shiro; on the other hand, Satoshi wasn't quite positive who to go to. Surely all of his friends would laugh at him if he said something so sentimental… But Jeffrey wouldn't, would he? Satoshi nodded to himself and then ran off to the Gryffindor common room.

When he arrived, he found Jeffrey selling some of Fred and George's Skiving Snack Boxes with Lee Jordan. "Jeff? We gotta talk," he called to him over the heads of customers.

"Sorry mate, sort of busy," Jeffrey responded, counting out some shiny Galleons and grinning.

"Good, let's go," said Satoshi, clearly not hearing what his friend said. He grabbed him by the arm and dragged him off to their dorm. "I've come to a totally mental conclusion," he declared before his now irritated friend could question his actions. Sucking in his breath, Satoshi stated, "I've fallen in love with Blaze."

Jeffrey's previous expression of pleasure seeped back into his face, as if he'd just gathered 500 Galleons. He clapped Satoshi on the shoulder. "That isn't mental! That's awesome! It's about bloody time you fell in love… So what makes you think it's her?"

Satoshi blushed slightly, crossed his arms behind his head, and fell back onto his four poster. "Don't get me wrong, I-I do love Catherin still... But you know our 'relationship' is on hold. Plus, even though snogging all those other girls was QUITE enjoyable, with Blaze-"

"You two SNOGGED?"

"Let me finish, you git. -But with Blaze, I felt actual sparks. It was like… Like a hundred voices in my head were saying 'Bloody hell, you love her.' Now I understand why Shiro is always so alive when he's with Konata… I mean, you know I feel like that with Cath, but it doesn't feel so great since she's, like, on hold. Blaze... She's all mine," Satoshi breathed. Jeffrey plopped down beside his friend, giving off a vibe very similar to a proud father. "Well, that's great, man. I hope you two stay together for a while now."

"Yeah, me too. I wonder if she's in love with me as well?" And sure enough, at that moment, Blaze was blushing irritably yet smiling in spite of herself as Konata and Shiro hugged her, singing: "Blaze found true love, Blaze found true love!"


	31. Chapter 31: Expecto Patronum

Something else that made the days at Hogwarts pleasurable was holding meetings for Dumbledore's Army behind Umbridge's back. Every so often, the members would head off to the Room of Requirement to go through with their training.

Blaze, Konata, and Shiro took turns dealing each other, though Blaze would be Satoshi's partner whenever he was available (he often went against Jeffrey, the Weasley twins, and the Lumbach twins). Sakura usually practiced on one of her brothers, but Shiro noticed she had started working with fourth year Colin Creevey instead. This was especially odd, seeing as Colin and his younger brother, Dennis, were almost inseparable.

"Satoshi… Do you have any idea why Saki's been dueling with that Creevey boy nowadays? Are we being too hard on her or something?" Shiro asked during one meeting as Konata practiced disarming Blaze. "If that was the case, though, I'd think she'd choose another girl…" Shiro argued with himself under his breath.

"You, my dear brother, are so blind," Satoshi sighed. As if confirming Satoshi's statement, Shiro stared at his elder brother blankly. Satoshi put a hand on his shoulder and lowered his voice. "Haven't you noticed that those two aren't only spending time together here, but all over the school?"

"No, I haven't…" Shiro's eyes widened. "You don't mean they're… DATING, do you?"

Satoshi shook his head. "She would have told us if they were. Well, she at least would have told YOU. But I do think they're into each other… I mean, do you see how they're looking at each other?" Shiro's gaze turned to his sister and Colin. Sure enough, although they were shouting jinxes at one another, there was something in their eyes that was very- in a word- affectionate.

Running a hand through his bangs, Shiro let out a shaky breath. "Sakura's got a crush…? Oh, blimey…" He muttered.

One meeting in particular stuck out in the DA members' heads. During it, Harry introduced them to the Patronus charm, which he learned back in his third year despite that even some full-fledged wizards could not perfect it.

Everyone was instructed to select a powerfully happy memory and zone in on it before calling out the charm. Konata automatically knew that she'd use the memory of when she received her precious necklace from Shiro before the Yule Ball. At first, she questioned the ability of this memory, but after a mere three attempts she already had silver wisps shooting from her wand.

Shiro, surprisingly, was having more difficulty. For his first few tries, he recalled receiving Jakkin for Christmas years ago. When that didn't work, he thought about meeting his younger siblings. But were those really the best he could use? He loved his owl, yes, but he wasn't the best thing that ever happened to him. Since it had been so many years ago, his memories of seeing his siblings as newborns were fuzzy, plus they reminded him of too many dreadful events of the past.

Becoming slightly agitated, he looked around the room. His blue eyes fell upon the thin light-brown-haired girl nearby, and he realized what memory would most likely have the best effect. Concentrating on hearing Konata tell him she loved him for the first time, he shouted, "_Expecto Patronum!" _He uttered a gasp as a silver-blue, shadowy cougar exploded from the tip of his wand and pranced around him regally. The others stared at Shiro's Patronus in awe before it vanished. His success seemed to make everyone work harder.

Biting her lip, Blaze thought hard about her seventh birthday. Her parents had still been together, happily in love, and cared for her more than anything… The joyous atmosphere as she blew out her candles should certainly be enough to power a Patronus... It took a while, but she eventually got the results she wanted. Satoshi strode over and beamed at her just as her full Patronus disappeared. "A wolf, huh? Bloody hell, my old man had the same Patronus…" Blaze smiled at him sadly and gave him a light kiss on the cheek.

"Shiro! Shiro, love, I did it!" Konata breathed. Sure enough, her Patronus, shaped as a hedgehog, was dashing around the room. Shiro gripped her shoulder, shining with pride.

"See! I knew you could do it, darling," he assured her, giving her a very quick kiss on the lips.

Konata, Shiro, and Blaze were not the only ones who found themselves producing a Patronus- Ron a Jack Russell terrier, Hermione an otter, Satoshi a coyote, Sakura a dolphin, Ginny a horse, Cho Chang a swan, Luna a rabbit, and Harry, of course, a stag. As usual, the members disbanded in pairs. Shiro's jaw dropped and he grabbed Satoshi's arm harder than intended as he saw that as Sakura and Colin left, Dennis trotting awkwardly behind them, the two were holding hands. Satoshi's eyes sparkled. "Would you look at that, our dear Sakura has found love."

Blaze tilted her head. "That's lovely, but I never would have thought she'd fall for COLIN… I mean, she's mature and quiet. Colin is naïve, childish, and sort of bothersome," she noted.

"Yes, well, opposites do attract," Satoshi pointed out. He motioned at Konata and Shiro. "I mean, look at these two! Shiro is a genius, Konata has the IQ of a peanut. No offense."

Shiro glared at his brother as Konata's face flushed. "How could I NOT be offended by that!" she cried. Satoshi ruffled her hair.

"Because I'm your lover's goofy big brother and you know I love you like a little sister?" Konata sighed irritably, though the corners of her mouth twitched into a smile. Shiro tapped her hand, and they bid their good-byes Satoshi and Blaze before exiting the Room of Requirement.

"Hey Blaze, would you like to know how I created that awesome coyote Patronus?" Satoshi wondered aloud. Blaze smiled at him.

"Sure thing."

Satoshi entwined his fingers with hers and leaned down so that his lips were mere centimeters from her ear. His warm breath tickled her as he spoke. "I thought about that first kiss we shared," he told her softly. Blaze blushed slightly; her smile deepened; she turned to face her boyfriend, and pressed her lips against his. As he slid his hands around her waist, pulling her as close as he could manage, Blaze wondered how strong of a Patronus this moment would create.


	32. Chapter 32: OWL Overload

The O.W.L.'s seemed to be approaching at breakneck speed. Students, of course, were stressing big time over them, but Konata was especially affected. As the tests came closer, she started eating, sleeping, and breathing spells and facts. Every time Shiro would go to kiss her, she'd shriek and yell at him for interrupting her practice of spells. Sure enough, there was rarely a moment she didn't have her wand out, her lips moving quickly.

"Konata, love, maybe you should let us help you study…" Shiro suggested one day as Konata sat in a corridor outside, textbooks spread out everywhere.

"The giant war began in- o-oh, um, yes, any help I can get…" Konata responded, beginning to twitch. Shiro took her face in his hands, forcing her to look at him.

"Sweetheart. Calm. Down. It won't be the end of the world if you fail, and you WON'T fail. I just know you won't." Still holding eye contact with her, Shiro brought one hand down to grope the ground for a History of Magic textbook. "I'm dreadful at this subject, so if you help quiz me, you'd be learning the questions too."

"Yeah… Y-yes, yes, alright." And so, for the next 35 minutes they, along with Blaze, reviewed nearly everything Konata could think of to review. "Okay, w-we can't spend TOO long on this, l-let's move onto… Um, let's do Charms! Quiz me on Charms, please, please ,PLEASE!" Konata squeaked as Shiro went through everything once more in his head.

"Ah, lovely idea. Let's begin with-"

"Oh, no, I don't know that one. Or the other one. Or, o-or any Transfiguratons, or spells for tha-that matter." Konata's emerald green eyes were now almost as huge as Professor Trelawny's, and she began shaking while making quiet, distressed sounds that were a combination of crying and shrieking.

"Konata? Konata, are, you alright…?" Shiro was unable to get a response out of his gradually paling girlfriend. Sighing, Shiro scooped her into his arms bridal style, asking if Blaze would please gather up Konata's books and such. Ignoring the stares he received, Shiro carried Konata up to the hospital wing as she shook slightly, murmured incomprehensibly, and twitched on occasion.

"Pardon me, Madam Pomfrey… Poor Konata here needs a-"

"Calming Draught, I can see that," Madam Pomfrey interrupted as she applied an odd looking sort of paste on a very pale patient's arm. She motioned toward one of the empty beds. "Lay her down… I'll be right over." With a nod, Shiro did as he was told, feeling increasingly more concerned about his girlfriend's wellbeing.

"She's only the fourth to snap… The first was her friend Hannah Abbott," Madam Pomfrey explained absently as she emptied a liquid into a goblet. She gripped Konata by her bony chin, gently forced her mouth open, and poured the potion down the brunette's throat. Shiro bit his lip anxiously, but clearly was worrying for nothing: within moments, Konata brought her whimpering to a halt, she stopped shaking, and color drained back to her skin.

"Oh, blimey… It feels like my mind was on a fuzzy radio station and someone adjusted the tuning." Konata smiled sheepishly at Shiro. "Thank you for bringing me up here… Now where were we in studying?"

The legitimate O.W.L.'s came in a flash. On the first Monday of testing week, students were to take their Charms test. Thanks to her study sessions with Shiro, Konata had no trouble writing down the incantations for Levitation and Cheering charms, though she spent some extra time wracking her brains for the Counter-charm for hiccoughs. For the practical portion of the test, Konata managed to make her egg cup to spin off the table when it was supposed to be doing a cartwheel, which made her go very pink in the face. Her Levitation, Color Change, and Growth charms turned out decent, though; Shiro and Blaze performed theirs to perfection, earning them enthusiastic praise from their judges.

Tuesday brought Transfiguration. Konata was agonized when she realized she mixed up the Switching and Vanishing spells; fortunately, however, she corrected her mistake at the last moment. Shiro's spells were very slightly off, while Blaze got hers as close to perfect as possible.

To Konata's relief, Herbology was the next day. While Shiro and Blaze's work with their Fanged Geraniums was average, Konata finished successfully with 10 minutes to spare. Defense Against the Dark Arts- Thursday's test- came easily for every member of the D.A. Many of them, in fact, awarded themselves extra points for performing _Expecto Patronum_.

On Friday, Shiro set off to perform his Ancient Runes test as Konata and Blaze obtained a break. Blaze used it to secretly snog Satoshi; Konata took lengthy naps and played with Tar. Though Blaze had the entire day off, later on, Konata and Shiro had to head off to take the test for Muggle Studies. For once, Konata put her quill down feeling extremely confident while Shiro felt a bit doubtful.

The weekend came as a blur. It basically consisted of students spending half of their time relaxing and the other half studying for the remainder of their tests. Shiro and Blaze were incredibly secure during their Potions test on Monday, but Konata went up to her common room with a lump in her throat and clammy skin. Tuesday was much more promising. Each of the trio breezed through identifying a knarl, handling a bowtruckle, choosing what to feed an ill unicorn, and safely cleaning out a fire crab. Nevertheless, Shiro was probably the only one who walked away with a smile on his face.

Shiro was let off easy on the next Thursday. He only had to take Astronomy, while Konata and Blaze had Divination as well. The girls did quite well: apparently they had read palms, tea-leaves, and a crystal ball admirably. Astronomy went fabulously for the whole trio, too. They heard, though, that the session after theirs was disastrous.

"Do you have any clue what happened?" Konata inquired as she sat with her two best friends at dinnertime. Shiro, she noticed, was acting particularly grim.

"That Umbridge is mental," he began in a whisper. "Long story short… she attacked Hagrid. In the middle of the night, too, the utter NERVE of her… Professor McGonagall came to defend him, as she absolutely should have, and… Umbridge was so wretched that she hit the woman in the chest with a Stunning spell!"

Blaze, who had been advised of this already, stared down at her plate; Konata covered her mouth and gasped. "Are they going to be alright…? McGonagall and Hagrid, I mean."

"Hagrid, probably… But McGonagall… They had to take her to St. Mungo's, it was so bad. She IS up in the years… And to take such a powerful spell to the chest…" Shiro shuddered visibly. A clearly distressed expression on her face, Konata took a slow sip of her pumpkin juice.

The final day of the O.W.L. exams took place on Thursday, and the students were faced with History of Magic essays. Konata, who had read over her well-written notes so many times she knew them as well as she knew her name, had no trouble describing the Goblin riots of the eighteenth century. Blaze had a decent amount of faith in what she'd written down, while Shiro was positive that if not for studying with Konata, he would have flunked. Right when he was getting to his last paragraph and Konata was checking hers over, Harry Potter suddenly collapsed and was taken to the hospital wing, which caused quite a bit of disruption among the test takers.

"See, that wasn't so bad. Just another test, right?" Shiro remarked as the trio headed up to their common rooms.

"Yeah, just another test that determines your fate…" Konata murmured pessimistically. Shiro crooked his elbow around her neck, stopping in his tracks and causing her to do the same.

"You, my dear, need to start thinking on the bright side. I will MAKE you cheery, even if it kills one of us." Ignoring Blaze's presence, Shiro lightly swung Konata so that she was pressed against a wall. He slid his hands behind her back and firmly stood his ground, making escape impossible on Konata's part. Closing his eyes, he slid his head down so that his nose was pressed against the side of his girlfriend's neck. "You did just fine on those tests. And now we have time to do whatever we want," he purred, his warm breath caressing Konata's skin. He tenderly kissed her throat, making her face go crimson.

"Shiro, please!" Konata squeaked. Chuckling slightly, Shiro took a couple steps back.

"I'm sorry. I just missed kissing you without having it be followed by you spitting out charms and facts about giants."

Konata took on the appearance of a guilty puppy with its tail between its legs. "Mm, no, I'M sorry… I've been freaking out so badly lately, I must've been a real pain…"

"Oh, the realest. But that doesn't mean I don't still love you with a burning passion."

The blush returning to her cheeks, Konata stood on her toes and touched her lips to Shiro's. "Naturally I love you as well… I can imagine that our break day tomorrow will be bloody wonderful."

Shiro grinned. "The wonderfulest." Laughing, they leaned in for another, longer-lasting kiss.

"Good night, Shiro," Konata giggled. "'Night Blaze," she added absently. But Blaze had already gone up to the Gryffindor common room, praying that her two best friends would still be virgins by the next night. Nonetheless, she couldn't help but wish it had been Satoshi snuggling her in the hall, not Shiro snuggling Konata.


	33. Chapter 33: A Look Into the Past

The next day, as Blaze strolled the grounds alone (Konata and Shiro were, as Sakura described it, hosting a snogging party for two), she noticed Satoshi sneaking out of the Forbidden Forest. He looked all around him, sighing in relief when he felt certain he hadn't been seen. As a result, he shrieked and jumped back, wand out, when Blaze snuck up behind him and grabbed his arm.

"Jesus woman, don't DO that!" Satoshi panted, lowering his wand. Still, a grin was forming on his lips which Blaze didn't hesitate to kiss.

"What were you doing in there? Troublemaker," she scolded in an overly exaggerated motherly voice.

"Oh, I was feeding my illegally imported dragon, DUH." Satoshi rolled his eyes good-naturedly. "I was talking to my old man. Well, his spirit. You know about that, right?"

Blaze nodded. "Shiro told me. So, is something wrong…?"

"Nah, I just felt like something was… drawing me there, y'know?"

"Hm, I see. So what'd you talk about?"

Satoshi fell back onto a bench, staring up at the sky; Blaze casually sat beside him. "Just discussed what's to come in the future, with me graduating this year and all… And we were talking about the past a bit." He gave Blaze a look that clearly stated he wanted to tell her something, but a slight frown made it evident he'd decided against it. So instead, he told her, "You know how a billion years ago, you were BFFs with Shiro and _Malfoy_?"

Blaze made a disgruntled face. "Not clearly, but I know it happened, yeah."

"Well, even as a five year old, love was one of my finer talents. Made me wonder if there was some French mixed in with my Japanese and British. Anyway, I always used to be POSITIVE that when you got all grown up, you and Malfoy would get married. I was dead set on seeing you two be in love."

With her jaw now dropped, Blaze's expression could be out of a horror movie. "_What? _I could never marry that GIT! I wouldn't even date him, or LOOK at him for that matter!" she insisted a little louder than intended.

Satoshi laughed. "Calm yourself, love. I was FIVE. I stopped believing in your future together _10 years ago. _Just thought I'd bring it up, since it was kinda funny, 'cause you two don't even speak anymore." Blaze instinctively thought back to the only time she could remember having a civil conversation with Draco: the Yule Ball. His icy voice had been so smooth, he looked incredibly handsome in his velvet tux, his gloved hands held her almost expertly as they danced… _What the bloody hell am I thinking about? _she thought with disgust at herself.

When she looked over at her Gryffindor boyfriend, there was something about his features that were strangely out of character. He appeared a great deal more thoughtful, more mature… "Fate sure is a crazy thing, huh? I mean… I almost never met my own parents," he noted in a soft whisper. Blaze's eyes widened a bit behind her glasses.

"Whataya mean?"

Satoshi gave her a slightly apologetic smile with a small shake to his head. "You don't want to hear my parents' back story."

Blaze scooted a little closer to him. "What if I do?"

His smile deepening, Satoshi kissed Blaze on the forehead. "Then listen up. I won't tell you every little detail, but I'll start from a more significant time…"

-18 YEARS EARLIER-

"Okaa-san, listen," called a 21 year old man. Except for his black hair and light skin, it was almost impossible to tell he was Asian. Not only were his eyes much wider, but they were a deep shade of green. His parents used to playfully insist that he was the milk man's son, or that being born in England prevented him from looking Japanese. A much younger Shotaro Ueda walked up to his mother, who was blissfully reading a book by a gentle fire. She peered over her novel to look at her son.

"So I found this house… It's decent in size, and perfectly affordable… It isn't too far away from here, and in a nice little village secluded from Muggles in the mountain region…"

His mother smiled at him. "So you plan on buying it?"

"No, I'm going to ask it out on a date. _Yes _I'm going to buy it. And I think I'll ask Sandra to move in with me…"

Mrs. Ueda's smile softened. "Ah, I remember when you were in Hogwarts, and you changed girlfriends every week. Now you've found a nice, lovely young Squib who you're _so _serious about. I'm _so _proud... I really do like Sandra, too. You two would make simply _adorable _children together."

A blush burned on Shotaro's cheeks. However, a minuscule smile crept onto his face. "Well, perhaps if she agreed- oh look, it's dear old Otou-san!" Shotaro bounded over to the front door of their little cottage to greet his father. "Guess what, I'm finally moving out! Never thought I'd be that capable and mature, eh?" Completely countering his own words, Shotaro stood up even straighter like a boasting little kid. "_And _I'm going to ask Sandy to live with me."

Mr. Ueda just blinked at him- he was a quiet man, very unlike his only son. His eyes flickered to the small square window adjacent to the door. "Funny you should mention her… She's standing on our front porch." Sure enough, Shotaro whipped open the door to see his 20 year old girlfriend standing there. Sandra Nichols was a lovely young woman: her light brown hair fell in ringlets down her back, much like Sakura's. She wasn't notably thin nor was she overweight: her size was close to perfect. Her eyes were the most gorgeous shade of ocean blue- the exact same color as Shiro's.

Shotaro's grin faltered and his expression dimmed as he saw that behind Sandra were two very formal-looking adults, wearing expensive clothes and glasses on the rims of their noses. "H-hello, Mr. and Mrs. Nichols… You're looking fabulous today."

"Do _not _try to smooth talk us," hissed Sandra's mother. Without being invited, she and her very stern husband strode into the house, Sandra timidly following after. Mr. Ueda shot them a look of pure dislike, while his wife gradually got to her feet.

"Sandy, what's going on?" Shotaro whispered in slight distress. Sandra desperately seemed like she wished to respond, but it was as if her mouth was sewn closed. As a result, she just stared at him with pleading, slightly watering eyes.

"Sandra, you tell your _boyfriend," _Mrs. Nichols said the word with obvious disgust, "what you told your father and I this morning." Sandy took a shaky breath and murmured something under her breath.

"Speak louder," growled her father. Sandra looked up at Shotaro, tears threatening to escape her aqua eyes. "Shotaro, I'm _pregnant._"

It was completely silent for a few moments- you could probably hear a pin drop. Shotaro's face was completely blank, until it suddenly sprung to life. Utter happiness shined in his features. "Oh Merlin… Sandy, this is… Sandra, this is great! _Fantastic!" _He stepped forward to hug her, but her father stepped in front of her. To the shock of Sandra and the Uedas, he slapped Shotaro right across the face.

"You disgusting little mudblood… How _dare _you act like it's so fine and wonderful! Do you not REALIZE what you've done to our daughter? This is all just something to rub in dear Renee's face, isn't it?"

Mouth agape slightly in shock, Shotaro sluggishly turned his head toward his girlfriend's father. "What does _Renee _have to do with all of this? I broke up with her 4 years ago," he said slowly with an edge of anger.

"You were so used to girls who are giggling idiots that kiss and snuggle and fuss over you like you're a puppy. Our Renee was a sensible girl who was looking for a REAL relationship, so naturally you must hold a grudge against her," growled Sandra's mom.

"Renee has NOTHING to do with Sandra and I, except for the fact that she introduced us. I've changed, and I'm head over heels for Sandy," he insisted sternly.

Mr. Nichols glared daggers at Shotaro. "Head over heels? You just wanted to get her in bed-"

"That's enough, Father!" Clenching her fist so tightly her knuckles were white, Sandra strutted over to her boyfriend and whipped around to face her parents. "I truly am in love with Sho, and I completely believe that he feels the same about me! I don't care what you say, I'm EAGER to have his child."

Mrs. Nichols grabbed her daughter by the wrist, yanking her back toward the door. "I FORBID you from ever seeing this man again. You will put the nasty little beast up for adoption when it's born, and move on with your-"

"Don't you dare call our baby a nasty little beast!" Sandra cried, smacking her mother's hand away and clinging to Shotaro's arm. Mr. and Mrs. Nichols withdrew their wands, but Shotaro's parents did the same.

"You get off of our property right this instant, do you hear me?" Mr. Ueda warned in a low voice. Glowering, Sandra's parents Disapparated on the spot.

Shotaro slowly turned to Sandra, stepping back and placing his hands on her shoulders as if to admire her. "So… Is it true? You're going to have a baby?" he whispered. Mrs. Ueda gave a smile that clearly said "We'll leave you alone," and exited the room with her husband.

"Yes… I think I'm not due for at least 7 more months though," Sandra responded, lightly pressing a hand against her stomach.

"Well that should certainly give us plenty of time to get situated in our new home… That is, if you'd like to move in with me." An affectionate gleam shone across Shotaro's eyes.

"Of course I will, but if you can afford it…"

"Don't worry, I've been saving up for years. Oh, and one more thing..." Shotaro slid his wand out of his pocket. He took the hand that wasn't on Sandra's stomach and pointed his wand at it, giving the stick a little twirl. A golden ring with a translucent, sparkling blue diamond appeared on her finger. "How about we get married?"

"Oh my gosh, Shotaro…" Sandra flung herself at her new fiancé, wrapping her arms around his neck as he draped his hands around her waist. "That would be perfect. But, one condition: YOU'RE the groom, I'M the bride." She grinned into Shotaro's chest as he laughed.

"Darn, I wanted to wear the pretty dress… But alright, anything for my baby's mama." After a light chuckle, the couple shared an amorous kissed and assured one another they loved each other.

And so, Sandra and Shotaro moved into their new home together a mere week afterwards. Immediately, they started planning their wedding, which took place 4 months later on a crisp November day at the foot of Mt. Fuji. It was difficult for Sandra to find a wedding gown, though, with her steadily progressing pregnancy. Nevertheless, everything went perfectly… except that Sandra's parents didn't show up. Shotaro suggested that the distance was too far for them to make it, but it was no use: Sandra was smart enough to know they could easily Apparate the distance.

Then, on March thirty-first of 1978, a healthy baby boy was born to the young couple. They decided that their children would have names starting with S, so Shotaro named him Satoshi. Sandra decided his middle name would be Vincent, after her loving great-grandfather. Not once did Mr. and Mrs. Nichols come to visit their new grandson, but Sandra and Shotaro didn't care: Shotaro's parents and Renee were very doting of their new infant family member.

When Satoshi was just about a month old, Sandra and Shotaro started talking about Mr. Nichols's family's tradition of one child having 6 kids. Shotaro questioned his wife if she would want to carry it on, to which her response was, "Alright, but it would be very nice if you gave a hand and birthed some of them." They laughed and didn't think much of it, until they decided Satoshi needed a little sibling. They wondered if the two boys were enough, until a 4 year old Satoshi asked if he could have a baby sister. Thus, Sakura Renee Ueda came into the world. By then, the couple made it official that 6 children was how many they wanted, and went on to have Sana and the twins.

"Blimey… Quite a story there," Blaze remarked back in the present. "Your grandparents on your mum's side sound awful…"

Satoshi nodded. "Oh, they're horrid. Never once came to any of our birthday parties or spent the holidays with us… They act like they're so saintly for raising Mum despite her being a Squib, yet they saw to it that she appeared very light on the family tapestry. Me, Dad, and my siblings aren't even ON the Nichols's tree, so as not to draw attention to Mum's existence. Dad's grandparents sucked too… They were purebloods- totally obsessed with blood status. Grandma and Grandpa didn't care about that type of stuff, so they were called blood traitors and are really dim on their tapestry. The moment the Uedas received word that Dad married a Squib, he was _burned _off…" Satoshi explained with a sigh. "It's a crying shame Grandma and Grandpa croaked," he added as an afterthought.

Blaze tilted her head, her brows furrowed in sympathy, and gripped Satoshi's hand. He gave her a feeble smile before leaning down to kiss the side of her mouth. "You better get going… Your next class is soon."

With a nod, Blaze got to her feet. "Right. See you later, Satoshi. Love you."

"Love you too." As Blaze ran off, Satoshi stared after her, once again with an expression stating he wished to tell her something but knew he shouldn't.


	34. Chapter 34: Too Good to be True

At long last, the end of term arrived. Since Shiro and Konata were chatting with a tiny first year Ravenclaw that had taken quite a liking to the male prefect and wanted to meet his girlfriend, Blaze took the opportunity to properly say good-bye to Satoshi. She found him having an animated discussion with his friends, though he silenced himself midsentence at the sight of her. He put one finger up, said what looked like "One sec," and trotted toward his girlfriend.

Beaming, Blaze stood on her toes to give Satoshi a kiss; however, he took a half-step backwards. This one little action immediately sent up alarms and red flags: Satoshi NEVER refused kisses. "Blaze… We gotta talk." _Those are never good words, _Blaze thought, her heart giving an icy shudder inside her chest. Throat feeling abruptly tight, she just waited for Satoshi to continue. He sighed. "Look… I've been contemplating that talk about the future I had with my dad. I… I want to get a career in the Quidditch league, and focus on that. Even if that's too much to ask for, I don't want my main focus in my graduated life to be a romance, and with you still being at school for two more years… It's true that you're the first person I knew I was in love with, so don't think you're not special to me, but the first person I _thought _I loved… That was Catherin Lumbach. And in all honesty, whenever I picture my wedding… The blonde under the veil is her." To Blaze's disgust, he blushed at these words.

"So, you're breaking up with me… Because of her?" Blaze didn't mean for this bitterly spoken comment to leave her mouth, but her mind didn't seem to wish for it to stay inaudible.

"No! I-I just… Were you and me good together? Oh hell yeah. Were we meant for each other? …Absolutely not." Satoshi stared at the ground, then suddenly shot his gaze up to face her. "But if it's alright with you, I'd still want to stay friendly."

"Yeah…" Blaze gave a small nod. "Yeah, of course."

A ghost of a smile appeared on Satoshi's face. "Then I guess I'll see you later… Buddy."

"Uh huh…" Blaze responded softly. Satoshi leaned in to give her a farewell kiss, but quickly thought against it and instead opened his arms for a hug. Even that, though, he deemed wrong, so in the end the now ex-couple shared a rather awkward handshake.

"And Blaze… Ask Shiro if you can talk to my old man sometimes. It'll do you good," Satoshi instructed suddenly. Before Blaze could react, he sprinted off to rejoin Lee Jordan and Jeffrey. With a shaky sigh, Blaze retreated to the train in a daze. _So this is what it feels like to be heartbroken, _she thought miserably. However, she halted as she sluggishly slid open the door to an empty compartment: _Why, then, am I feeling so little pain?_ She asked herself silently.

"What! Blimey, Blaze, that's awful!" Konata gasped. The girls were now back at Konata's home and scanning over the _Daily Prophet _as Blaze told Konata about her breakup. It was funny, really, how the same story could be recited so differently: on the Muggle news, mysterious hurricanes and a collapsing bridge were discussed. In the _Daily Prophet, _the same event was described as Death Eater attacks.

"No, it's not that bad. I knew we wouldn't last… I should be grateful we lasted as long as we did. And he did let me off pretty easy." Biting her lip lightly, she closed her paper. Now would be the perfect moment… "Konata… I gotta tell you something."

Konata sat up a little straighter, averting her full attention to her blonde companion. "Tell away, I'm all ears."

With a small gulp, Blaze said in a leisurely voice: "I don't think I was ever… TRULY in love with Satoshi. I did have a crush on him, yes, but I'm not positive it was… completely legitimate. You see…" She shifted uncomfortably, lowering her voice a level. "I knew Shiro was off limits, so I guess my conscience told me that, I'd be better off, with… his brother."

It was terribly silent for a few moments as Konata stared at her blankly. "So you're saying… You've been in love with, _Shiro _this whole time? Oh Merlin, Blaze, I-I don't know what to say… How long…?"

Blaze gave a half-hearted dismissive gesture with her hand. "Don't worry about it… I think it started way back in year one, before I even THOUGHT about crushes. The more I acknowledged my affection for him, the more I suppose I shot it down… I mean, you and Shiro were made for each other. I wouldn't be surprised, nor would I be disappointed, if you two end up married."

A light blush swept across Konata's cheeks. "Y-you mean that? Because, if you do still like him, I'll end us on the spot… I'd hate for you to suffer…"

Blaze shook her head, offering a half smile. "No, Konata, I mean it. The only thing I'd want to change between the love you guys share would be that you snog less in public."

Konata gave a feeble chuckle. "Yeah, we need to work on that… And, if you want, I'll keep this a secret from Shiro."

"Yeah, that'd be appreciated…. In fact, let's never speak of this again. I just… felt like I needed to get it off of my chest, you know?" After Konata nodded, Blaze stood up with a stretch. "I'm going to go send a letter," she indicated, and she headed off to her room.

Little did Konata know that said letter would be heading to Malfoy Manor, or that the correspondence would continue until the start of the next term. She was also unaware that every time Blaze said she'd be "going out" over the course of the remainder of the summer, she was meeting up with the recipient of the letters. In case it wasn't clear enough… Blaze was having ongoing association with none other than Draco Malfoy: the likely reason breaking up with Satoshi and admitting her previous forbidden feelings for Shiro were basically painless.


	35. Chapter 35: New Year, New Beginning

The summer flew by, and soon enough, our trio was boarding the Hogwarts Express for their sixth year. Shiro greeted Konata and Blaze, hastily shuffling off to complete his prefect duties. Once he was certainly gone, Konata closed their compartment door securely and sat across from Blaze. The look on her face clearly said that she had something serious and important to say, yet she was hesitant to say it.

"Look, I know we haven't talked about this all summer, and sort of agreed not to speak of it, but, I just need to know… How can you be so happy about being single? I mean, I know your love for Satoshi was never really true, but it still had to hurt…"

Blaze gave a little shrug. "Yeah, but, I don't want to be hung up on it. True, nobody _wants _to be, though let's just say if I was still longing for the same relationship I had with Satoshi, I wouldn't be able to think about a love I can share with… a certain different boy."

Konata's eyes widened a bit and a tiny smile formed on her face. "You mean you've found another love interest?" she gasped in a squeaky voice. She chuckled into her hand. "Did I really just say 'love interest'?"

"Yes Konata, you really just said 'love interest,' for whatever reason," Blaze laughed. Konata was too busy chattering aimlessly more to herself than Blaze to notice her blonde friend glance across the aisle to the compartment containing Draco Malfoy, or to see the look of disgusted jealousy appear on her face as she saw that the Slytherin boy had his head in Pansy Parkinson's lap.

For the next 20 or so minutes, the girls discussed random and rather useless topics until Shiro returned. He was in a daze, with an expression like he'd seen a ghoul- recall that for him, a Boggart turns into ghosts. He plopped beside Konata, his blue eyes unblinking.

"Shiro, love? What's wrong?" Konata inquired slowly. Shiro gulped, closing his eyes tightly and then reopening them.

"I… I just saw, my little sister… _snogging _Colin Creevey," he whispered. Blaze grinned while Konata squealed.

"They got together! Adorable!" exclaimed Konata, clapping twice.

"I'm glad… Though poor Dennis must feel so awkward, being Colin's tagalong," Blaze commented.

Shiro looked on the verge of bursting into flames. "You girls obviously don't understand how atrocious this is! W-what if they take their relationship, y-you know, _too far? _Sakura's a smart girl, she probably won't, b-but still…

"Satoshi and I have been hoping ever since she started school that she'd lose that reputation of being known by so few people and only having a handful of friends, but now that she's with Colin- no offense to him, he's a nice boy and all- she'll just be known as _his _girlfriend…" He shuddered visibly. "Not to mention all those sicknesses she can receive from kissing!"

"Hypocrite," Blaze muttered at this. Konata looked embarrassed for a mere second, though then she lightly grasped Shiro's hands in hers.

"Shiro, love, you're over thinking it. There's not really anything wrong with that, but there's no point in stressing over this. Maybe you should have a little more faith in Sakura. Even so, it's sweet of you to worry so much for her… You'll make a bloody good daddy one day."

A light blush and gentle smile appeared on Shiro's face for a fraction of a second. "I really am acting like an overprotective parent, hm? Still…" He sighed, leaning his head back against the booth. "Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful for Mr. and Mrs. Dopple- they supply us with a home and buy us things we need. But even if they've been kind and helpful, they've never really been parental figures, you know? Satoshi has had to act like a dad to Sakura and me, while I've started to act fatherly toward Sakura. Seeing as we have no parents… A little over protectiveness can be good in a way."

Konata and Blaze stared at him sympathetically, completely at a loss for words. With a small shake to his head, Shiro sat upright. "I shouldn't be talking about such poignant things…" He motioned toward the window. "We're on our way back to Hogwarts, back _home. _Let's uh… forget I said that. For the time being, at least."

The rest of the train ride was much more pleasurable. When the time came to change into Hogwarts robes, Shiro playfully refused to leave the compartment and the girls had to shove him out the door. Tar and Mischief seemed to be having a stare down across their cages, in which Tar was somehow victorious. Blaze went off to locate the witch with the candy trolley, giving Konata and Shiro time to catch up on snuggling and snogging missed over the summer. And at long last, the Hogwarts Express rolled into Hogmseade Station.

"My, look at our new professor! Looks more like a walrus, if you ask me," chortled Konata as she laid eyes on the large figure of Horace Slughorn.

"Blimey Konata, what did you have for breakfast? You are so giggly today," laughed Shiro. However, his smile vanished as quickly as it had appeared. "I've heard tales upon tales about that man… He's got this thing called the Slug Club- dumb name, right? It's just a group of his favorite students. You see, Slughorn has a very keen sense of what wizards and witches are going to turn out to be big successes, normally judging by the people they have as resources." He clenched his fist, a vein beginning to pulse visibly in his temple. "He _adored _Darrien- Blaze's dad, you know- and even had Lucius Malfoy in his stupid old club, but he never even laid eyes on _my _father. He was like a cobweb in a hundred-year-old unkempt house. Just another student." He heatedly ran his hand through his bangs. "Picking favorites like that… Honestly! I can't bloody stand it."

"That sounds terrible… Teachers are supposed to treat their students as equally as possible!" Konata shook her head disapprovingly. Nonetheless, her demeanor soon lightened. "I wouldn't want to be one of his favorites, though. I mean, you're right: 'Slug Club'? Sounds like what the 'popular' people would dub all the geeks. Besides, I'll bet he _eats _his number one favorite… Look at him!"

"Alright, you are definitely on something," Blaze accused with a grin. Konata shook her head, her neat low ponytail swinging side to side as she did so.

"Nah, drugs are awful! I'm just in a good mood," she insisted. She then gave Shiro a long-lasting kiss on the cheek (she didn't have to stand as high on her toes as usual, for she had undergone a growth spurt over the summer) and dashed off to the Hufflepuff table.

"She's strange, that one," Blaze commented.

"Absolutely," Shiro agreed. He smiled warmly. "But I love her to pieces."

The next morning, each student received their new schedules. Shiro beamed down at his, glad to see the number of free periods he'd have. "Let's see, Ancient Runes first period today, brilliant… Defense Against the Dark Arts this morning- going to be a ruddy Hell with _Snape _teaching it now. Potions after lunch, oh wonderful…" He rolled his eyes, though his face got brighter as he scanned the parchment further. "Mm, Herbology with Slytherin tomorrow, Care of Magical Creatures on Wednesday…" He started to verbally review the rest of his schedule until Luna Lovegood turned away from the stack of pancakes she'd been prodding at and faced him.

"Who are you talking to, Shiro?" she inquired in that high voice of hers. Shiro blushed slightly.

"A-ah, nobody… Just myself." Utterly embarrassed, he gathered up his things and swept off to find Konata.

"Oy, Shiro!" called the voice of Blaze, Konata trotting alongside her. Shiro's face lit up.

"Morning, girls."

"So what have you been doing?" Konata asked, giving him a good-morning-kiss before leaning against a wall of the Great Hall.

"Just reading over my schedule," the Ravenclaw boy replied. "I feel like I should've dropped something, though… I would have gotten more free periods."

For a moment, Blaze stared at him incredulously, Konata with a look of somewhat shame. "You mean, you stuck with Care of Magical Creatures?" the blonde murmured. Shiro's smile faltered very slightly.

"Naturally… It's my best class, and Hagrid's like a dad or grandpa to me."

"I hate to break it to you, but it might just be you and the bowtruckles… I don't know of anyone who hasn't dropped the class. Even Ron, Harry, and Hermione did, and you _know _how close to Hagrid they are…" Blaze muttered.

"Shiro, I'm sorry… I like Hagrid, really I do, but I don't see how I personally can benefit from the class…" Konata sighed, her voice a tad bit shaky. Shiro's face fell, disappointment flooding into his features.

"Hey! You know, we haven't shared our O.W.L. grades yet," Blaze exclaimed suddenly.

As if he had no clue it was an obvious attempt to change the subject, Shiro smiled once more. "Say, you're right! Here, I've got mine handy…" He rummaged through his bag, proudly withdrawing an official-looking piece of parchment. Inside read:

_Shiro Darrien Ueda has achieved:_

**Astronomy: E**

**Care of Magical Creatures: O**

**Charms: O**

**Defense Against the Dark Arts: O**

**Herbology: E**

**History of Magic: A**

**Potions: E**

**Transfiguration: E**

**Ancient Runes: E**

**Muggle Studies: E**

"Blimey, Shiro… You did amazing! As expected, of course. I'm so proud," Konata breathed.

"Considering you're not dead or agonizing, I'd say you did pretty well too. May I see yours?" Shiro asked. Sheepishly, Konata bestowed her results upon him:

_Konata Elizabeth Verdent has achieved_:

**Astronomy: E**

**Care of Magical Creatures: A**

**Charms: E**

**Defense Against the Dark Arts: E**

**Divination: E**

**Herbology: O**

**History of Magic: E**

**Potions: A**

**Transfiguration: A**

**Muggle Studies: O**

"Konata, love, you did fantastic! See, I told you you'd do just fine," Shiro praised, beaming. Konata blushed timidly, turning to Blaze.

"Well, what about you? Come now, let's see."

"I've, uh, misplaced mine," she muttered, glancing at the ground. Shiro raised an eyebrow, grinning bemusedly.

"Oh my lord. You got all O's, didn't you?"

Blaze's ears turned pink, making Konata giggle. "No!" She lowered her voice, seeming a few sizes smaller. "I uh… I got 3 E's, too…" Shiro gasped over-dramatically, tightly gripping Konata by the shoulder with one hand and pressing the back of the other against his forehead.

"Heavens no! All O's except for 3 E's? Blimey Blaze, you're going to fail out of the school if you don't get your act together! Konata, you may as well start saying your good-byes," he cried. Konata put on her best grief-stricken face, which was rather convincing.

"I never thought the day would come that I'd be best friends with a… a _flunky,_" she whispered. Blaze groaned, though an irremovable grin was now etched on her lips.

"You two… I'll bloody kill you one day," she chuckled.


	36. Chapter 36: The Fame of Satoshi Ueda

September and October went by without any particularly notable happenings, besides Shiro's confirmed dislike of Professor Slughorn. However, the Ravenclaw boy was gradually growing concerned about the wellbeing of his elder brother. He and Sakura had each received only 3 letters from Satoshi, the third one discussing trying out to be a replacement Beater for the well-known Quidditch team, the Chudley Cannons, while the official player was out on some sort of paternity leave. The two other Ueda siblings had not heard from him since. One crisp November day, though, they received word of him.

All classes had been dismissed, giving the students a few hours of rest or homework time before they were to head up for bed. Shiro told Konata he was listening in on her and Blaze's outdoor study session, when in truth he was just using the opportunity to spy on his sister and Colin Creevey nearby. Biting his lip, he flinched slightly as the couple kissed across their textbooks.

Noticing that he was not paying the slightest bit attention to her or Blaze, Konata stopped midsentence and followed her boyfriend's stare. "You know, if this bothers you so much, you could always talk to Sakura about it," she suggested. Shiro jumped a bit, half-turning toward Konata.

"Yeah, right. With her temper, she'd either whack me upside the head or completely ignore my presence 3 minutes into the conversation." Shiro sighed, though his eyes suddenly widened. "Oh, hey! I never opened up my _Daily Prophet! _I got it at breakfast this morning, but I didn't get enough sleep last night so I was too tired to read it…" Digging through his bag, he withdrew the newspaper. He browsed through it lazily; however, he gasped when he got to the third page. Staring back at him was unmistakably a picture of his brother. "Blimey, this looks like some sort of interview… Why didn't anyone confront me about my brother having a whole section of the paper about him!" he wondered aloud in a tone higher than his own usually was.

"Oh, they have. A few people have come up to you and said something like 'Tell Satoshi I say congrats' or 'Wow, your brother's gonna be a star!' But you were too busy stalking your sister to notice," Blaze indicated, her voice a tad bit amused. Shiro glared at her for just a fraction of a second, getting to his feet at the same time as Colin. The moment the Gryffindor boy left, Shiro strode over to his sister.

"Oy, Sakura! Have you seen the _Prophet _today?" he exclaimed, kneeling down beside her. She shook her head, her reddish ringlets lightly smacking against her cheeks.

"No, but I've heard Satoshi's in it…" Shiro nodded, holding the paper out to her. The instant her green eyes fell upon it, she let out a snort-like laugh. "Look at him, he's gone and grown a stupid little goatee…" Laughing at his sister's remark, Shiro read the article along with her:

_Yesterday, I scored an exclusive interview with the newest, temporary addition to the Chudley Cannons: Mr. Satoshi Ueda (pictured above). At a mere 18, he's one of the youngest professional Quidditch players next to the legendary Viktor Krum. Except his appearance and skills as a Beater, he's got total youth-like qualities. Nevertheless, I found him to be quite the charmer and am honored to have scored a consultation with him._

_I began with a typical suggestion: "So, tell us about Satoshi Ueda."_

_His response made me laugh: "Pretty vague of you, wouldn't you say?"_

_So, I gave him a little more to go on: "Let's start out with the basics: how long have you been playing Quidditch?"_

_He answered without delay. "I've been a fanatic of the sport since I was 9, but I played on my school- Hogwarts, I was a Gryffindor, you know- team for the first time just last year. I was a Beater, naturally."_

_When you see him play, you'll never believe he's so inexperienced! "I see! So, tell us about your family."_

_I'm being completely truthful when I tell you that he looked at least two years older as I said this. "Well, I've got a brother, Shiro, who's 16 right now. Our sister Sakura is 14. They're bloody great kids, I'm proud to be their brother."_

Sakura and Shiro blushed slightly as they read this.

_I made a hand motion, signaling for him to expand. "And, your parents…?" His very gorgeous smile faded slightly right then._

"_I've been an orphan for 3 years…" Tragic! I almost wanted to burst into tears as he informed me of this. "My mum and dad were bloody great people, though: their names were Sandra and Shotaro Ueda."_

_I couldn't help but reach out and pat his hand at this. "I'm sure they would have been very proud of you, Mr. Ueda. Now then, let's move on, shall we? Everyone has friends… Who are your closest pals?"_

_Fortunately for me, Satoshi laughed- his laugh is almost musical, I must say. "That's unfair to say! I've got a ton of great buddies… Though Jeffrey Knumlach plus Fred & George Weasley will always have a special place right here." With that, he patted his chest right where his heart is._

"_They must be honored, certainly. Alright, so I just need to ask…" I leaned in. "Does a handsome young man like you have a special woman in his life?" _

_Mr. Ueda grinned brightly. "This man here does, and her name is Catherin Lumbach. We're not 'dating,' per se, but we've known we're meant to be for a while now. We went to the Ball together 3 years ago."_

Shiro's eyes widened, while Sakura grinned softly. "So they're a real thing now, hm? Well, I AM pretty good friends with her sister, and from what Konata's told me she's a fine girl…" Shiro shrugged. "Perhaps I'd like to have her in the family." Sakura nodded her agreement, and then they read on:

"_Lovely! Ms. Lumbach is a very lucky girl." _

"_This is completely true, but I'm pretty fortunate myself." What a sweet boy he is!_

"_I regret to say it, but that's all the time we have. I'll see you on the Quidditch field, I presume?"_

"_Absolutely. And if all goes well, in the next interview you'll be asking how my team managed to win the Quidditch World Cup. I may even have the opposing teams' heads on platters. Not literally, of course…I hear Quidditch players taste bitter."He grinned at me: this Catherin girl truly is blessed, that smile makes even me want to melt! _

_So there you have it: the Chudley Cannons have gained a very memorable new player, even if not permanently. He's attractive. He has a sensitive side. He has a sense of humor. He's got a lover. He's Satoshi Ueda! What if, though, this is all an act? Will Satoshi Ueda live up to his words and the upbeat personality he displayed to me? We'll all just have to find out!_

"Would you look at that, Sakura? Our brother is becoming a celebrity," said Shiro, closing the newspaper. Sakura nodded, putting her arms behind her on the ground and leaning backwards with her legs stretched in front of her.

"I saw it coming, really… Although I always expected it would be for holding the world record for Most Girlfriends Within a School Course."

Shiro grinned at her: he didn't know it, but he even had his brother beat when it came to dazzling smiles. "That'll be the next article, I'm sure." It was silent among the two siblings for a few moments, so Shiro got to his feet.

"Hey, Sakura?"

"Yeah?"

"Try not to swallow Colin the next time you two do some snogging."

Sakura blushed uncharacteristically. She highly considered smacking her brother, or suggesting he go to a certain fiery underground place, but instead gave a half smile. "I'll try." She closed her eyes as he ruffled her hair, her smile becoming full as she watched him walk off into the distance.


	37. Chapter 37: In the Prefect Bathroom

Many sixth year students noticed an alteration in Konata Verdent. First off, her appearance had been changing gradually, though over the summer it seemed to take a jumpstart ahead. She finally didn't have to look up to talk to everyone; she'd grown to about the same height as most of the other girls in her year. Her light brown hair, which now reached down to her waist, was as natural as could be- combed thoroughly and either left down or gathered into a low ponytail. Despite still being skinny, she wasn't underweight anymore. Shiro always felt utterly embarrassed to notice that she was quite noticeably not flat-chested.

Although there wasn't a big change, her personality had become slightly different as well. She would get more involved in conversations with her peers, actually bringing life to many of them. It wasn't that she was no longer timid- she'd opened up her shell in about her third year. Still, although she wasn't headstrong in general, she had certainly become bolder. Her self esteem improved, too. Even though she'd still blush in embarrassment when she made a mistake (which she still did as regularly as she had in recent years), she would laugh it off. Nevertheless, her determination to get better and do well had not dimmed.

With these changes occurring in his girlfriend, Shiro couldn't help but wonder if he should undergo a bit of a transformation himself. _No, _he decided, _I'm sure I'm fine the way I am. _Still, he reasoned that a very slight difference in personality for just a short while couldn't hurt. But what, he wondered, would he alter? He didn't fancy EVER acting like a git, and figured that wouldn't benefit anyone. If he acted like an apathetic, emo type of person, he knew he wouldn't be able to keep a straight face long enough. Acting like a moron would probably just be obnoxious, and he feared that being aloof or sassy would do more harm than good…

_So how about, a tad bit… rebellious? Sort of like a bad boy, _he thought as he watched Konata play Exploding Snaps with Michael Corner, Terry Boot, and Hannah Abbott. Shiro's mind immediately set itself to the task of thinking up a plan. It had to be something that would break a rule or two, but land him in no worse trouble than a detention. Konata should be involved somehow, too. After all, it was her whom he wanted to… Impress? Demonstrate change to? He didn't want her to get in trouble, though… He wanted her to have a good time… And as Konata stood up and shouted "YES! WE WON!" while exchanging a high-five with Hannah, Shiro came up with a scheme.

The next morning, Shiro grabbed Harry by the arm on the way to breakfast and pulled him aside. "Hey, mate, would you mind doing me a favor…?"

Harry blinked a few times, mild confusion appearing on his face. "It depends on what the favor is," he replied smartly.

"Could I borrow your," Shiro lowered his voice, "Invisibility Cloak? I swear on my parents' grave I'll bring it back."

Biting his lip, Harry thought it over. Swearing on his parents' grave was a big deal, and Shiro had always been known as a reliable person… "Er, sure. Just have it back by tonight…"

Shiro's face lit up like a kid who'd walked into a massive candy store. "Brilliant! You're the best, Harry." Receiving the translucent Cloak Harry handed to him secretively, Shiro dashed off to the Great Hall.

"Konata, dear? Would you like to go on a little adventure with me during our last free period today?" he inquired sweetly, sliding beside his girlfriend and propping his chin on his hands.

"Adventure? Well, if you're in charge, I s'pose I can accept," Konata answered with a grin. Shiro sat up, clasping his hands together. His heart began to beat speedily, exhilarated with a combination of eagerness, accomplishment, and nerves.

"Wonderful! Meet me in the hallway outside of Moaning Myrtle's bathroom after our last class lets out?" he confirmed. Konata tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, tilting her head ever so slightly.

"Sounds like a plan."

"Alright, love. You can take the cloak off now," came the echoing sound of Shiro's voice that night. Slowly, Konata slid the Invisibility Cloak off of her body. She had been a bit hesitant to go through with Shiro's "adventure" when he presented her with the Cloak, and as they progressed down the hall, the sheepish personality she'd had throughout her first and second years returned.

Once the Cloak touched the ground, Konata's eyes immediately widened. The two of them had walked into a magnificent, high-ceilinged room with a medium-sized swimming pool in the center. On the wall above it was a grand painting of a mermaid, snoozing in her frame.

"Shiro, what's…?"

"This, my dear, is the prefect bathroom." Konata let out a small sound that was a combination of a squeak and a gasp. She felt as if her heart had plummeted to the bottom of her stomach as she watched her boyfriend remove his tie. "It's amazing, isn't it? I thought I'd share its wonders with you," he told her casually. Konata's green eyes darted around the room frantically, her adapted boldness inconveniently absent. The tub could probably fit at least 6 people and had more nozzles than could be counted on one hand, but surely Shiro didn't expect her to bathe WITH him… Her eyes returned to focus to see a naked Shiro slide into the tub, though she was just late enough so that she didn't glimpse anything private below his back.

Looking over his shoulder, Shiro smiled softly at the Hufflepuff girl. "Come now, love, it's something you won't want to miss." Alarm abruptly appeared on his face. He abruptly realized how idiotic this whole plan of his was. "Oh, I should have asked you first… Konata, I'm sorry, I just…" He trailed off, staring into the water with a look of pure shame. How he was regretting this brief "personality change" of his… Konata bit her lip lightly.

"No… No, honey, don't be sorry… It IS a once in a lifetime thing…" Hands shaking a bit, she hastened to undo her tie. "Just, please don't look at me naked…" she added pleadingly, shimmying out of her skirt.

"Of course I won't. In fact, you can stay on the complete opposite side of the bathtub if you'd like," Shiro assured her. He closed his eyes and didn't reopen them until he heard Konata slide in nearby. She was looking around with an expression of mild curiosity.

"What do all these nozzles do…?"

Shiro smiled at her. "I doubt anyone knows exactly what every one of them does, but..." He twisted one of them, and many translucent, pinkish bubbles poured out of it and floated around the room. Konata shortly did the same to the one nearest to her, and it let out a stream of hot water that made her shriek and turn it off immediately. Alternatively, she tried the one beside it, and was relieved to see it supplied heavily perfumed foam instead.

"This… actually IS pretty nice," she said quietly, sliding into the water so that the only things visible were her eyes and forehead.

"I'm glad you think so…" Shiro told her as he rubbed some silky, coconut scented body soap over his arms. "I really should have asked you first though… How could I NOT see this could make you uncomfortable?"

Konata brought her hand out of the water to give a dismissive gesture. She sat up a little bit. "Don't worry about it." After a few minutes of the couple experimenting with the numerous nozzles and splashing each other occasionally, a thought occurred to Konata. 'If _Shiro's decided to be a little reckless… maybe I should try too,' _she told herself. Drawing in a silent deep breath, she stood and glided over to Shiro. His face turned pink and he immediately shut his eyes, for the top of Konata's chest was briefly visible. She blushed too, but positioned herself behind her boyfriend, draped her arms over his shoulders, and clasped her hands above his chest.

"Shiro… I love you…" she whispered, her voice shaking slightly. After all, they were both in the nude.

Shiro lightly touched her arm. "I love you too, Konata…" Konata gave a half smile, nuzzling her face against Shiro's warm neck. Gingerly, Shiro gripped her wrists, uncrossed her fingers, and ducked into the water so that he could escape her. Immediately, though, he turned on the spot and faced the girl. He gently pressed his palms against Konata's cheeks, leaning forward with just his upper body. A millisecond before their lips made contact, Konata shot her hands up to slip into Shiro's dark brown hair. Making sure nothing below their chests were touching, the couple kissed over and over, faces red for reasons besides the steam engulfing them.

When they finally decided they were done, they positioned themselves so they sat beside one another on the side of the tub, simply snuggling in the soothing warmth of the heavenly scented water. "I guess we should be getting back now…" Konata suggested. Shiro nodded, scooping up a handful of bubbles and blowing it in his girlfriend's face before pulling himself out of the water. Making sure to close his eyes, he grabbed Konata's hand to assist her up. They got dressed silently, lost in their own thoughts.

"Well, shall we leave?" Shiro declared, groping the ground for Harry's Invisibility Cloak. Konata nodded.

"Yes, we shall. By the way…" Konata took a hop-step to his sided and gave him a peck on the cheek. "This was great. No wonder so many people want to be a prefect!" She giggled with a wink. "And no wonder I can't find any words to truly describe how much I love you."

"Oh, Konata. You're so cheesy," chuckled Shiro with a good-natured roll to his blue eyes. He gave her one more amorous kiss before tossing the Cloak over her head and leading her back into the hall.


	38. Chapter 38: Sakura's Love Story

The month of December came in peacefully. December first showed to be an abnormally comfortable temperature, a persistent breeze making it chilly. The ceiling of the Great Hall illustrated a pale blue sky obscured only by a handful of wispy, pale gray clouds. Such weather resulted in the students of Hogwarts taking on pleasantly lull moods.

"Hey Sakura," Blaze called that morning, taking a seat beside the fourth year girl. She glanced around the table. "Where's your boyfriend? He sleep in?"

"Nah…" With a shake to her head, Sakura flashed an odd sort of grin. "He offered Dennis some 'help' with his potion making… To prove that he'd done it successfully, the bloke sampled it himself. Now he's up in the hospital wing with a horrible purple rash and gradually growing earlobes, poor guy."

Blaze laughed, shaking her head. "Oh lord. You know… I could never see you two as a couple, honestly."

A "pfff" sound escaped Sakura's lips as she began cutting up her pancakes. "Oh, neither could I. But, I'm really happy with him…"

"Well I'm glad." Still smiling, Blaze turned to her own breakfast, though her eyes lingered on Sakura. "How did you two find each other? I mean, you're almost polar opposites."

"It seems that way, doesn't it? It's quite a story though, how he came about asking me to be his girlfriend…" And so she flashed back to the middle of the previous year.

It all began when a certain number of students met to sign their names on a paper promising their allegiance to Dumbledore's Army. Sakura had planned to come along with her brothers, but both of them seemed to have a little group to go with. _How typical, _she thought apathetically. It wasn't like she was envious of her brothers' social skills: she liked being a lone wolf. Besides, she was quite fond of a majority of the people Shiro and Satoshi were close to. Still, there was always that voice in the back of her head nagging about forming some friendships. _I've been here for three years, _she told herself, _if I was too make friends, I would have done so already._ However, she found that she was quite wrong.

Satoshi had scribbled his signature, striding off with Jeffrey Knumlach and the Lumbach twins in his wake; Shiro neatly wrote his name, took Konata's hand, and ruffled Sakura's wavy hair as he passed. Sakura nonchalantly bit the inside of her cheek as she noticed there were only 2 people left besides her: two boys with mousy brown hair that she recognized as the Creevey brothers, Dennis and Colin.Huge, carefree smiles were plastered on their faces as they signed their names in similar handwritings. As they stepped away so Sakura could get to the list, Colin stopped halfway. He kneeled down, clearly appearing to be tying his shoelace… Except that Sakura noticed his shoes had no laces. Not thinking much of this, Sakura completed her signature and started to make her exit. However, Colin scrambled upright the moment she began walking.

"Er, hello there! We're in the same House, yet we haven't exactly made acquaintances… I'm-"

"Colin Creevey, I know. You sort of find things out when you never talk to people." Feeling as if her heart plummeted to the pit of her stomach, Sakura prayed Colin hadn't noticed the self disgust that flickered across her face. _Smooth, real smooth, _she thought sarcastically. Apparently, her lack of social involvement made it so things she intended to stay in her head freely came out of her mouth.

Fortunately, Colin seemed completely unfazed by this remark. "You know of me? Wonderful! I know a tad about you as well… You're Satoshi and Shiro Ueda's sister, Sakura. Their youngest surviving sibling and a third year Gryffindor… I hear you don't talk much but are very gifted at Charms."

Offering an awkward, barely noticeable smile, Sakura wasn't sure if she should be flattered or disturbed. "Yeah, that's right… How come you uh, came to know this?"

To her surprise and confusion, Colin's face turned a gentle shade of crimson. "Oh, I just… Did…" He abruptly took a couple steps back, groping the air for his brother's arm. "It was lovely talking to you, see you around!" Speechless, Sakura simply watched as he spun around clumsily and dashed away with Dennis.

Instead of following after him as she should have, Sakura stood there looking mildly dumbstruck. She didn't think many people were aware of her existence, let alone little facts like her knack for Charms. For a moment, she was afraid Colin was just a creeper who had no shame in stalking up information on people, but the sincerity in his brown eyes when he approached her and the blush that had swept across his face overruled that option. Besides: just because he knew a few things about her didn't make him a stalker… Maybe he, like Sakura, wasn't a social butterfly and learned things about near strangers in the time spent not interacting with friends. Anyways, she happened to know a few things about Colin himself…

Even girls like Sakura will sometimes see a boy and immediately think "Ew, he's unattractive" or "Blimey, he's a cutie!" Sakura had thought that second statement, almost painstakingly so, the first time she saw Colin back in her first year. Absent-mindedly, she leaned over and asked Satoshi who he was.

"Him? That, my dear, is Colin Creevey," Satoshi replied casually, not bothering to lower his voice. Colin's head whipped up at the sound of his name, but quickly decided someone like Satoshi Ueda wouldn't dream of mentioning him so he returned to his lunch. "He's a character, that one," Satoshi continued, gaining enough sense to bring his voice down a few notches. "Last year, he was bloody _obsessed _with Harry Potter. Followed the poor boy around with a camera everywhere he went… He still acts like Harry is a god or celebrity, though he did stop carrying around that stupid camera. He probably would've still had it around his neck, actually, if it hadn't been broken by a Basilisk last year."

Sakura's jaw dropped. "_Broken by a Basilisk!"_

"Yup. Kid's a Muggle born, see, and when the Basilisk slithered on up to him he was dumb enough to try to take a picture of it. The beast's gaze was enough to petrify Colin and break his precious little camera."

From what Satoshi explained, Sakura reasoned that Colin was a rather odd type of person. She glanced across the table at the mousy haired boy, figuring she'd never have anything to do with him again. Of course, as you know, this was incorrect.

At the second Dumbledore's Army meeting, Sakura started to really become aware of Colin's interest in her. She was practicing Disarming with Ginny Weasley when she noticed an amused grin stretch across the red head's face. "What's up with you?" Sakura called, slightly irritated. It wasn't like her performance was worth being made fun of: she had succeeded in knocking Ginny's wand out of her hand four out of six times.

Her annoyance only grew when Ginny lowered her wand and trotted closer to Sakura. "It looks like you've got a fan," she whispered in her ear, nodding over to their right. Sure enough, Colin Creevey was being repeatedly caught off guard by his brother because his gaze seemed unable to stop drifting over to a certain third year Gryffindor girl. Sakura happened to look at him precisely as this occurred. Her green eyes met his brown ones; her cheeks turned light pink, his face flushed beet red, and they immediately turned away.

Similar events took place for the next couple meetings. As Harry dismissed everyone after about the fifth or sixth meeting, Sakura allowed her brothers to kiss her on the cheeks before exiting the Room of Requirement herself. However, she came to a halt when she heard a fuss going on shortly behind her. Dennis was holding onto his elder brother's wrist for dear life, hissing "Please don't do it!" through clenched teeth. Crying out wordlessly, Colin broke free and gripped Dennis's scrawny shoulders.

"Look, it will be FINE! You're my most favorite person in the world, you always will be. Got it?" he huffed. Dennis, suddenly appearing much younger than 12, hesitantly nodded his head and dashed away. Sighing deeply, Colin stood up straight and put on a brave face. This demeanor of boldness was short-lived, though, as he realized Sakura had been watching the entire time. "O-oh, goodness… You saw that, huh?" he squeaked, reluctantly taking a few steps forward.

"Yeah… It's uh, cute that you're so close to your brother… Pretty touching," Sakura responded, not understanding why her heart was fluttering so icily. She didn't have long to wonder if she had spoken the correct words, because Colin seemed to light up a bit.

"You think so? It's kind of… Dorky, if you ask me." Sakura smiled softly, walking a bit so that there was less than a foot between her and Colin. Her chest felt unnaturally loose; it made her sick to her stomach, yet there was also something pleasant about it. "Speaking of asking stuff," Colin added in a speedy voice. He closed his brown eyes tightly as if it pained him to hold back the words forming on his tongue. With a big gulp, he reopened his eyes and exclaimed so fast it was barely decipherable, "Would you go out with me?"

There were a few seconds of incredibly tense silence. Sakura stood there, feeling winded as if a train had just drove by at full speed and missed her toes by an inch. Her face was so red that she could feel her eyes begin to water. "O-oh, my… I-I… But you don't, know me…" she murmured in a shaking voice. Colin looked like he wanted to cry.

"Y-yes, but, I could _get _to know you. L-look, when I saw you be sorted I thought 'Wow! That is a really pretty girl!' It almost broke my heart to see you alone and mad-looking so often… Ever since, I've tried to learn as much about you as I could! W-we've got more in common than you realize. Neither of us have many friends… Our closest companions are our brothers… We're Gryffindors… B-but I can totally understand why you'd turn me down, I mean, you're such a… Oh, I can't think of a word, so I'll go with _interesting… _person, while I'm just a weirdo loser, but-"

"You are not," Sakura interrupted, barely acknowledging she had spoken. Colin looked very taken by surprise. Cheeks burning pink, Sakura stared down at the ground. "You're a bit of an oddball, I've heard, but _odd _means _unique, _and everyone is unique… The fact that you seem to find me fascinating while almost nobody else knows I even exist is super flattering…" She lowered her voice so that it was almost a whisper. "Plus I've thought you were cute since I was 11." She brought her gaze up to see Colin looking a combination of relieved, confused, shocked, and overjoyed. "I'd love to be your girlfriend… But I can't." As expected, Colin's expression fell.

"I understand…" He tilted his head slightly. "Okay, no I don't."

Sakura chuckled feebly. "I'm just not ready to be in a relationship, I've never even consciously thought about having a boyfriend…" She absently clasped her hands together behind her back. "So how about we get to be really good friends… And _then _we start dating?" she offered.

A sweet smile reappeared on Colin's face. "That sounds good- no, _great- _to me."

So, Sakura and Colin started hanging out much more. Instead of sitting by Blaze and Satoshi every single meal, Sakura made a habit of sitting beside Colin (or Dennis on occasion) and _across _from Blaze or her brother. When nobody else was available, Sakura would be the Creeveys' study buddy. Seeing as neither Sakura nor Colin was very popular, these went quite unnoticed, though some of the Gryffindors would go "Aww" when they spotted them together.

Their bonding didn't even end come summertime. With Satoshi off looking for a Quidditch career and the Dopples doing work for the Order of the Phoenix, Shiro and Sakura often found themselves alone in the house. Sakura would do most of the housework- cooking, laundry, dishes- and once the weekend came around, she would ask Shiro if she could go out for a while. Being her guardian, Shiro wasn't keen on this (especially since she wouldn't tell him where she was going), but since she rarely asked for anything and had been such a large help, he just couldn't say no.

Naturally, Sakura's destination was the Creevey household in the Muggle world. Mrs. Creevey was a bit more out there than her sons, while Mr. Creevey was an always-jolly milkman. Both of them simply adored Sakura, welcoming them in their home with open arms, treating her like a daughter, and offering milk and cookies every visit. It got to the point where Colin actually told them they were embarrassing him.

One day in mid-August, Colin and Sakura found themselves quite alone. Since it was nearly sweltering hot out, Sakura wore just a pink tank top with denim short-shorts while Colin was clothed in a white-and-red-striped wifebeater and gray cargo shorts. Neither of them was wearing shoes. Colin gave Sakura a glass of cool lemonade, and they sat together on the couch. Colin was eager to consume his sugary drink, though Sakura took just a few half-hearted sips before setting hers down. Taking note of this, Colin placed his now empty glass beside hers and flashed a bright smile at her. Despite the nervous feelings flurrying inside her, Sakura couldn't help but grin back. Sucking in a deep breath of warm air, she decided to get straight to the point.

"Look, Colin… I uh… I think we've been friends long enough," she whispered. The joy seeped out of Colin's face, bewilderment gradually seeping up to replace it. Sakura turned to face him, very lightly gripping his hand. "I'd say it's about time we become a couple."

The cheerfulness leaped back into Colin's expression as quickly as it had vanished, its brightness tenfold this time. "Fantastic! That's…" He laughed. "That's fantastic." Giggling beside herself, Sakura lunged forward to wrap her arms around Colin's neck as he hugged her around the waist. They stayed in that position for a few priceless moments, still touching when they finally moved away. They both blushed as their sparkling eyes met. _He's right there… His face is RIGHT THERE… _Sakura thought in a daze. Colin must have been having similar thoughts, because a few seconds later their upper bodies were leaning forward. However, there was one problem: both of them were tilting their heads the same direction, so they ended up mashing their noses together. Both of them laughed, their smiles warmer than the temperature outside. After Colin adjusted the position of his head, they tried again, this time sharing a very memorable first kiss.

Sakura was remarkably hesitant to go home, but ended up doing so in a cheerful daze. She was surprisingly unfazed to see Konata in her house for the first time that summer, cuddling with Shiro on the sofa. "Hi Sakura!" the brunette called, sliding her arm out from under Shiro's to wave at her boyfriend's sister.

"Hey there," Sakura responded casually. Shiro grinned.

"What's your deal?" he asked bemusedly.

"I saved some baby squirrels when I went for a walk," Sakura told him without turning around. Shiro laughed and rolled his eyes while Konata half-giggled behind her hand as Sakura walked into the door to the stairway. She, however, didn't seem to notice. What good was worrying over an embarrassing little stunt like that when she had just kissed Colin Creevey?


	39. Chapter 39: A Troublesome Love

The months came and went seemingly overnight. Christmas wasn't much of an event- Sakura spent her winter break with Satoshi, while Shiro was only with his family for half of it. For the first few days, he stayed with Konata and Blaze at the Verdent household. Mr. Verdent ended up making him sleep on the floor when he caught him snogging Konata under mistletoe in her bedroom. Apparation lessons were also available now for anyone who would be 17 by the following August; however, Shiro refused to sign up for them since Konata wouldn't turn 17 until September and he wanted to learn with her.

January was even more uneventful, except that Blaze started to become more solo than usual. Still, Shiro, Konata, and Sakura were too involved in their schoolwork and relationships to notice her increasing absences. It was February when the issue made itself known. Well, more like _Ron _made the issue known.

"Shiro, Konata, I- Oh, blimey, didn't realize you're busy…" Ron had been searching for the couple, and didn't bother to ask what they were doing as he asked around for their location. Consequently, he ran upon Shiro and Konata giggling and snuggling over their textbooks. His ears turned red and he stared at the ground as the flustered Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff situated themselves into normal positions. "E-er, I just… Have you noticed that your friend Blaze hasn't been around as much?" Ron murmured. Konata tilted her head.

"Oh, hey… Come to think of it, yeah…" Her eyes widened. "Everything's okay, right…?"

"Yeah, yeah, I mean, probably… It's just that, Harry and I have noticed that she's been standing outside the Room of Requirement more than once. You might wanna make sure she's alright…" Before anything else on the topic could be said, the red haired boy swept off. Konata bit her lip, turning to face Shiro.

"Room of Requirement? I wonder what she's, y'know, requiring?" she pondered. Shiro shrugged.

"Dunno… Maybe it's just been a coincidence that they've seen her there… I guess we shouldn't think too much into it. Besides, we could always ask her," he reasoned. Konata nodded her agreement, sliding a notebook out of her bag. "Hey, you've been taking that thing out a lot… What's it for?" Shiro questioned, bending over to get a look at its pages. However, Konata held it against her chest, concealing it from sight. She stuck out her tongue.

"What if I don't want you to see it, you snoot?" She grinned and loosened her grip on the book. "Lately I've taken an interest in writing. Apparently I'm kinda good at it… I've got some drafts, and ideas, and summaries, and doodles in here," she explained.

"Do you? Hm, brilliant! What types of stories do you have planned?"

Konata lay on her back, flipping absently through the notebook's pages. "A few topics that I think would make good non-fiction books, but mostly romance… There's romantic comedy, and dramatic romance too." She smirked. "I've even started forming a boy love novel- you know: yaoi, gay love, whatever you wanna call it…" She sat up and mischievously poked her boyfriend's nose. "And the main lovers are a Slytherin and a Ravenclaw named _Drake _and _Shaun. _They're totally not based off of anyone I know, no way…_"_

Shiro's face flushed pink. "You're evil, you are," he muttered, a grin seeping onto his lips.

The current topic in mind, it was almost as if Ron had never been there and they'd never acknowledged that Blaze was spotted by the Room of Requirement on multiple occasions. This fact was almost erased from their thoughts as Blaze was still her normal self and their study buddy when they asked her to be. Although, come February thirteenth, the couple was sharply reminded of Blaze's almost unnoticed disappearances, plus they learned the reason behind them.

"So, Blaze, I was thinking… Shocker, right?" Konata chuckled under her breath at her own feeble humor, adjusting the position of her arms so Tar could crawl over her. Mischief sat curled up on Shiro's lap, her eyes intently following the rat's every movement. "Shiro and I are gonna have a lot more Valentine's Days together, but come graduation, we might not see _you _that much anymore. That being said, I figured we should spend every holiday together, the three of us. And since you're, y'know, single, I thought we could shove the romance of Valentine's Day to the back of our minds."

Smiling to herself, Blaze silently continued doodling on a spare piece of parchment. An expression that said she had made her mind up about something appeared on her face, and she rolled up her paper. "That sounds great. But, I might as well tell you… I'm not single."

While Konata's hands flew to her mouth, Shiro choked on air. "WHAT! When did this happen? Who are you dating!" Shiro demanded, sounding much like an overprotective father.

Looking around to make sure nobody could overhear, Blaze leaned forward, grinning like a pleased school girl, and whispered: "Draco Malfoy." A shocked grin stretched across Konata's face; Shiro, however, looked devastated.

"Blaze… This isn't funny. Come on, we're your friends, you can tell us," Shiro murmured slowly and steadily. Blaze's smile faltered, and the sparkle in her eye dimmed slightly.

"I'm not joking. He's really truly my boyfriend. I've been going to the Room of Requirement-"

"-to make out with him?" Konata interrupted, her face lighting up rambunctiously. Shiro could have sworn he saw her fingers inch toward the tip of her notebook. Irritation washed over Blaze's face, and she groaned very quietly in her throat.

"Konata, PLEASE. I've been going to the Room of Requirement- er, _by _the Room of Requirement-_because _Draco has a little mission he has to fulfill, and I've agreed to help him."

A strange noise that was a combination of a squeak, gasp, and moan erupted through Shiro's semi-parted lips. "_Blaze! _Don't you-?" He looked around frantically, and even though he was aware the trio was alone, he moved so close to Blaze that they could barely budge. "Look, I didn't want to tell anyone because I am _somewhat _still friends with Draco, but… Blaze, do you know why he's been disappearing so often? Why he's given up his prefect duties? Why he's called in sick for Quidditch? It's because he's a-"

"Death Eater, I know." To most people, the casualness of her tone would be revolting.

"Yet you're still helping him with this little 'mission' of his! Do you even know what the mission _is?_" Shiro hissed.

"Yes I'm helping him! No, I don't know what the job he's doing is… Listen, though. You know I wouldn't be stupid enough to help him do something that I know nothing about, but this situation is unique. He told me that if he doesn't succeed… Voldemort- oh man up, you two- will kill him, and I'm positive he's sincere about that. Don't ask how I know, I just do. I'd be willing to do _anything _to save him." Her voice increased its pitch. "Guys, he _loves _me! Yes, he's a manipulative little liar, but I _may_ have spilled some truth serum into his drink over the summer…" At this point, Blaze was so determined to explain everything that she was actually quivering. "Frankly, I love him too, so please, just, trust me on this one!"

For a few incredibly tense seconds, it was silent. "Of course we trust you, Blaze… If you're happy, we're happy," Konata breathed, patting her friend's hand. Blaze smiled, yet only for a fraction of a second, for she caught glimpse of Shiro glaring at her.

"Konata, love, for once you can't speak for the both of us. I _don't _trust her. Blaze, I never thought the day would come that you were a complete _idiot,_" he snarled.

Blaze looked a mixture of shocked and disgusted. "_Idiot? _Oh, you did NOT just call me an idiot. Following my instincts doesn't make me an IDIOT, Shiro! Even if this blows up in my face, it doesn't make me dumb!"

"Riskily falling in love with a boy? That's bad instincts. Falling in love with a malicious, lying under-aged Death Eater? That requires brains, thus making you stupid," Shiro insisted in a dangerous tone.

"Yeah, thanks for the advice Mummy, I'll be a good girl," Blaze responded sarcastically. "I appreciate that you're caring about me, but stay OUT of my love life, you hear me?"

"Oh, I hear you, but it's making no bloody sense. You're making a big mistake, Blaze."

"You don't know that. You're just being obnoxious."

"I'm just trying to help!"

"Well it's not working!"

Shiro cried out wordlessly, stomping to his feet (which knocked Mischief off his lap, making her hiss) and yanking Konata to hers. "Whatever. When he breaks your heart and kills you before you can mend it, don't expect me to feel bad for you."

"I don't need your sympathy anyway," Blaze growled. She stood angrily, made a haughty turn, and strode off, leaving Konata to stare sympathetically at her back as Shiro dragged her away with his cat trotting at his heels.

Before storming off to bed, Shiro had given Konata an unaffectionate kiss and told her they could have a date alone tomorrow, and that he'd supply her with more details later. Nevertheless, he spent the entire following day in an irritated silence and once classes ended, he was nowhere to be seen. Blaze, too, was being more unsocial than usual.

"Er, Luna?" Konata called that evening, trying not to think too much of the fact that the blonde Ravenclaw was swatting gently at the air around her. She tilted her head far to her right in acknowledgement of Konata's presence. "Um… Have you seen Shiro?"

"Oh, yes, I saw him heading up to the library… You may want to leave him be though, he looked quite angry," she responded casually in that dreamy voice of hers. Konata murmured her thanks and dashed off to the library.

She closed the door behind her once she arrived, making sure to do so without a sound. She was struck dumb for a moment when she looked around the library. It was more packed than she'd ever seen it, but it was so utterly silent she never would have guessed the large amount of people. As she cautiously stepped around all the students, she recognized most of them as people that were single. She felt her heart turn icy in her chest, and had to remind herself that Shiro was probably still recovering from his fight with Blaze and had completely forgotten he told her they would spend the day together.

It took a while, but Konata finally found her boyfriend. He was sitting not in a chair but on the floor, facing a bookshelf. In his hands was a complex-looking book entitled _Dreadful Denizens of the Deep_. Hesitantly, Konata kneeled behind him. Very slowly, she reached out and wrapped her arms around the brown haired boy's stomach. He barely even flinched.

"Hello, my dear prefect..." she whispered. Shiro didn't move. "Is that a good book?"

"Not sure. I've reread the same line at least 12 times..." A small smile formed on his lips. "I'm glad you're here, though, love."

Blushing slightly, Konata closed her eyes and hugged him tighter. "Happy Valentine's Day," they told each other softly.

"I'm sorry I've been such a git today… I just-"

"Nuh uh uh, no apologizing," Konata interrupted, pressing her cheek against his shoulder. "It's done and over with, let's just… Go find a place to be alone." Shiro nodded and began to reply, but Madam Pince had come over and scolded them for talking. As a result, Shiro put his book back on the shelf, grabbed Konata's hand, and exited the library.

That night, Konata went to bed grinning distractedly, having just snogged and shared chocolates with Shiro. _I wonder if Blaze and Draco had a romantic Valentine's Day too, _she wondered vaguely as she pulled on her nightgown. She had no idea that Blaze had spent the holiday naively guarding her boyfriend as he worked on a sinister plan that could lead to the downfall of Hogwarts. The two blondes were both mutually positive of a couple things: this plan must succeed if Draco was to keep his life, and that despite everything, they were unconditionally in love with each other.


	40. Chapter 40: A Father's Knowledge

Unfortunately, Blaze and Shiro remained at odds following day, and even a week after. They got over avoiding each other; however, the silent treatment had gone into effect. This behavior continued for at least a month, when Konata finally became fed up.

"Ugh, I can't figure out number 14 for Transfiguration," Blaze sighed as the three of them sat together poring over homework, Konata in the middle with Shiro's back against one shoulder and Blaze's against the other. Konata casually glanced down at her friend's essay.

"Mm, yeah, that's a tough one…"

"I know it," Shiro chimed in. Konata felt something much like hope spark inside her. Was this it? Was Shiro going to speak to Blaze again at long last? The moment soon passed, though, and nobody had moved. Shiro obviously had no intention of sharing his answers, though he did consider writing them down for Konata. Once Blaze rolled her eyes and returned to her parchment, Konata groaned and got irritably to her feet.

"Oh come ON! Make up already! You two got in a fight, it was upsetting, I get that! But must you act like little children? It's been a month! _Over _a month! You two are best friends, SPEAK TO EACH OTHER! What do I have to do, lock you in a damn closet together until you talk! I'm not taking sides here, because I understand that both of you said or did things that made the other distress rightfully, but let. It. GO!" Konata yelled. Her friends stared at her in shock. _Never _had they seen Konata get so worked up over something. "Now stand up!" she snapped. As if she was Professor Snape as opposed to the friend they'd come to know and love, Blaze and Shiro scrambled to do as they were told. Konata crossed her arms and nodded sternly, a dash of pleasurable success flickering across her eyes. "I won't force you guys to apologize, because maybe that'd be lying for you, but you WILL look each other in the eyes and you WILL make a gesture of forgiveness," she demanded.

Slowly, Shiro and Blaze turned to face each other. They were both, of course, thinking about how ridiculous this was and pondering whether or not they should make a break for it. However, when their blue eyes drifted into the same gaze and met, those thoughts evaporated. Perhaps Konata was right… Perhaps they were being foolish… Flashing apologetic smiles, they leaned forward and exchanged a heartfelt hug. Konata loosened up a great deal, a grin seeping onto her face. "Brilliant. So you two are on good terms again?"

"Yeah," they assured her, stepping away from each other. Blaze glanced down at the ground, appearing surprisingly sheepish. "Y'know, there HAS been a favor I've been wanting to ask you, Shiro… The most recent thing Satoshi said to me was that I should request that you take me to visit your dad… He said it would do me good."

It was silent for a few seconds. "Well… Alright then. I suppose if we had to go, now would be the time, with it being a Saturday and all… Konata, you should come too, Dad's been dying- no pun intended- to meet you personally," Shiro responded in a slightly leisurely voice. And so, the trio headed out onto the grounds. They first slipped into Hagrid's cottage, chatted a bit with him (he spoke more so to Shiro, though, since bitter feelings about the girls dropping his class still lingered), and then snuck off into the Forbidden Forest.

"Shiro, are you _positive _you know where we're going? It feels like we've been walking in circles for hours…" Konata muttered after over 15 minutes of venturing into the forest. She let out a short chuckle. "Wow, THAT was complaining if I've ever heard it."

"Oh, absolutely, you brat," Shiro growled. A split second later, though, he was grinning and giving Konata a peck on the cheek. Blaze had to fight the urge to smack them in the back of their heads. The desire was short-lived, though, as the companions climbed through some brambles into a clearing. "Dad…? It's me…" Shiro called, unable to keep his increasing excitement out of his tone. All was completely still for about 10 seconds, until a streak of light bolted across their field of view. It immediately grew in size, transforming into a glowing, silvery wolf in a bowing position. It raised its great head, morphing into the apparition of Shotaro Ueda, who permanently had the appearance of a 36 year old man.

"Look what we have here. Brought company, Shiro?" Shotaro swept over, smiling as warmly as a ghost could manage. Judging by his expression, you would think that Blaze was his own daughter and he was viewing her in her wedding dress for the first time. He looked the blonde up and down, clearly in admiration. "My, my. Blaze Alexanders… The last time I saw you, you were just a toddler, barely reaching up to my knee. Now you're an inch taller than my son here…You're turning into a beautiful young woman." Blaze offered a soft grin, feeling oddly regretful that she had no memories of Shiro's father.

"Thank you, Mr. Ueda…" She knew that was not the best response available, but was so struck that her mind seemed to have slowed down.

"Ah, and this must be dear Konata…" Shotaro might as well have spat on Blaze with the comparison of how affectionately he looked at the Hufflepuff girl. He gently took her bony hand and pressed his lips against it, making her shiver from the coldness of his nonexistent skin. "It's such an honor to finally make your acquaintance."

"Same to you," Konata assured him quickly.

Shotaro grinned, drifting backward slightly. "You're just as lovely as Shiro says you are, and I can tell the love between you kids is everlasting… You're going to be the mother of my grandbabies, I presume?"

Shiro and Konata both blushed, Shiro smacking his palm against his forehead to conceal his embarrassment at least a little. "I… Well, to be honest, I hope to be one day," Konata replied quietly. The expression of flattery, relief, and surprise on Shiro's face made Shotaro laugh. He opened his mouth to speak; however, this action went unnoticed by Shiro, for he brought up a new topic.

"I've got a couple questions, but, first… Where are Mum, the twins, and Sana?" he inquired. It appeared as if a shadow crossed Shotaro's luminous face.

"Children spirits are allowed to go toward the light whenever, and there are rare occasions when adults can. Your mother was a remarkable woman, and due to her lack of committed sins, she was one of those uncommon cases. Me, on the other hand…" He chuckled humorlessly. "I guess I've attempted to blow up professors a little too many times. Mark my words, kids... When your times come, don't choose to remain on this world. Being a ghost is a cowardly act… It may seem appealing at the time, but you'll regret it." With these words, he stared longingly at the darkening sky.

"O-oh…" Shiro hunched his shoulders a bit in an uncomfortable matter. "Well, just one more thing I was wondering. Your spirit appears as a patronus, which I understand, though I don't get how Mum's did as well… I mean, she was a Squib. When would she ever have cast a patronus?"

A majority of the grimness trickled out of Shotaro's translucent features. "Ah, you see, in death, it doesn't matter whether or not you're a Squib. If you've got magic blood, and you died at an adult age, it's as if you were magic your whole life. I mean, you can't cast spells from the dead, but some magical stuff- like appearing as a patronus- can occur," he explained.

"Alright… I get it," Shiro confirmed, nodding slowly.

At this point, it was obvious from his body language (even though there was no substance to it) that Shotaro wanted to speak. "Now, if that's all, Shiro…" he began. However, it was as if this partial sentence had never been spoken when his stare turned to Blaze. His voice was now coming out softly, barely audible above the sounds of the forest. "Your father's eyes… They look gorgeous on you… How would you like to know the truth about him, from the man who knew him best?"

Blaze felt as if a heavy weight had abruptly formed in her chest, dropping to the pit of her stomach. Her mouth seemed to fall dry. She hadn't spoken about her father since Christmastime about 5 years ago… Frankly, she didn't want to ever again. Still, the topic was painfully intriguing… She'd been in the dark about her father for far too long… "Yeah… Yeah, I would. Is this why Satoshi told me I should come visit you?"

The ghost of Shotaro nodded. "Alright… First things first, let's think back on when Darrien murdered your mother, back when you were 8. I was foolish and inconsiderate then, so I thought everything was fine and dandy once your aunt got custody of you." Blaze cringed at these words as Konata and Shiro stared at her, wide-eyed. Never had she told them that she was ever raised by an aunt… Although, they realized with a pang of guilt, they had never asked how she survived after her mother's murder. "After Darrien got shipped off to Azkaban for using the Cruciatus curse on that Auror, I kind of detached myself from the Alexanders… And like I said, I figured you would be totally fine with your aunt, so I didn't bother checking up on you… Even though it happened right before your first year, I never found out about her death until the following summer… But by then, I knew you were safe at Hogwarts and Shiro said you were spending your holidays with Konata and her family. Had I known earlier, I would have taken you in, in a flash. I just want you to know that.

"Don't get me wrong, it was a horrible shock when Darrien murdered Lorraine. Still… I can relatively see why. You see, Blaze…" Shotaro leaned against a tree, motioning for the trio to sit themselves on a nearby rock. "As you know, I was best of friends with your father. We were inseparable, him and I… we laughed at each other's jokes, no matter how stupid they were. When one of my pranks went too far, he would help squeeze me out of trouble. He was always sort of an underdog Slytherin, so when people bullied him I was there at his defense. He returned the favor when people hated on me for being such a player. If we didn't have each other, we might as well not have had anything at all."

"You're making it sound like you were lovers," Shiro whispered, immediately covering his mouth: that was meant to stay in his head. Shotaro, however, smiled sadly.

"You want to know something? For a long while… I thought Darrien was my first love." All three kids dropped their jaws, Konata already formulating a new story plot. "Anyway, so not the point… The one person that ever put our friendship on the line was Lucius Malfoy. He was 3 years ahead of us, but always had an interest in Darrien. He couldn't _stand _the likes of me, being an aloof blood traitor, though he put up with and even pretended to like me, just for Darrien's approval. I saw through his trick immediately, but I acted like I thought the three of us really were BFFs. Darrien was never _that_ fond of Lulu," Shotaro had to grin at this nickname, "but did admire him. So, one day, when you kids were around 7 years old, dear old Lulu came to Darri with a request." It was impossible to tell Shotaro had appeared so amused mere seconds ago. "Blaze, I doubt you know this… But Lucius tried to recruit your father as a Death Eater."

You could probably hear a pin drop in the forest after this was said. "He… He said no, right?" Konata whispered, her two friends shocked wordless.

"Of course he did. Told him it was pointless since Voldemort- glad to see the name doesn't scare _you, _Blaze- was long gone, and that even if he _was _still around, taking up such a job would put his family at great risk. Lucius didn't give up his twisted hope, though… And the offer left a scar on Darrien's mind. You can't be asked to join the Death Eaters and never give it a second thought… It can drive people to insanity, especially with the pressure of being called a pathetic excuse for a Slytherin all their life in your dad's case. I would come in to see him muttering to himself, looking at me like he'd never seen me in his life for a few moments." Shotaro tried to give Blaze a hug, but ended up sliding right through her and making her shudder. The slightly humorous failed embrace, though, didn't alter the effect of the following words: "He stabbed your mother just because she said 'Good morning' to him, Blaze."

Silence enveloped them once more. "So, what you're saying is… what made Dad snap… _Who _made Dad snap… Was Lucius Malfoy?" Blaze concluded in a weak, slow voice. She felt like she could collapse right then and there. Shotaro gave a solemn half nod and rested his hand over her shoulder.

"Basically, yes… He was never crazy, Blaze. He never had any bitter feelings against you or your mother. The man that killed her and got sent to Azkaban… It wasn't your father. Not his mind, at least. The thoughts he had… They were poisoned to a point of no return."

A sort of whimper arose from Blaze's throat. She shook her head gradually, bringing her hands up to her face. "No… No, no, no… The man who caused my father to turn into a _monster…_" Her usually confident voice cracked. "I'm in love with his son…"

"You and Draco, huh…? Well…" Shotaro gave a breathless sigh. "You can't try to change how you feel about him because of this. _He _had nothing to do with the whole incident…"

"Yeah… I guess you're right," Blaze agreed, barely audible.

"Er, I hate to kill the moment, but it's getting awfully late… We need to get going," Shiro murmured.

"Oh, not a problem. Wouldn't want you kids getting in trouble." Shotaro's ghost gave Shiro a kiss on the forehead that resulted in his lips going right through the boy's hair. "Be good now, all of you," he requested softly. "It was wonderful meeting you, Konata, and seeing you again, Blaze…" The girls whispered their replies before Konata took Shiro's hand and Blaze grabbed onto his arm. "Wait, Shiro?" Shotaro called to their backs.

Shiro glanced over his shoulder. "Yes?"

A grin that made him look remarkably like Satoshi stretched across Shotaro's translucent face. "You've got to get your act together. From what I've seen, your _little sister _is a better kisser than you are."

"I beg to differ," Konata retorted in the middle of a laugh. Shiro's face burned red, and he dashed out of the clearing, growling at his father what could only be taken as the word "Stalker."


	41. Chapter 41: Fallen

Shiro awoke one day toward the end of the year with a start. He had been having a nice dream, one about his siblings before they died… But Michael Corner shook him awake, muttering things too rapidly for Shiro to comprehend. He understood, though, that he was to get the heck out of that dormitory.

He found himself suddenly wide awake at the sight of all the people gathered in the hall. It seemed like every student from every House but Slytherin was there, all of them still clad in pajamas with confused, sleepy looks on their faces. Shiro narrowed out the Hufflepuffs, and scanned the crowd for his girlfriend. She was standing beside Hannah Abbott, wearing a nightgown that made Shiro blush. Deciding to avert his eyes, he started searching among the Gryffindors. He located Sakura, chatting nervously to Colin, but Blaze was nowhere to be seen.

"Mr. Shiro…? What's going on…?" a first year that looked far younger than 11 asked in a dazed voice, pulling lazily on Shiro's sleeve. A few of her friends stood behind, wearing the same expression as her but obviously too timid to approach Shiro.

"I uh, I dunno, I'm sorry," Shiro murmured, noticing Konata straying away from Hannah and toward him.

"Look, sweetie, stay with your friends, and make sure you're near at least one prefect, alright? You can stay by me for the time being."

"Is everything gonna be okay…?" the young girl squeaked. Shiro bit his lip lightly. How would he know, when he lacked any idea of what was going on? So, he answered honestly:

"I sure hope so."

Once she made it over to Shiro, Konata opened her mouth to speak. She never got the chance, however, for a fully clothed Blaze was diving through the crowds on the way to her friends. Her skin was so pale it literally appeared almost white, and she was quivering horribly. When she spoke, her voice came out sounding raspy. "Draco… He… He told me what he's been doing this whole time, just a while ago. It turns out, h-he's been developing a gateway, f-for Death Eaters to get into Hogwarts…" She brought her shaking hands up to her face on which her glasses sat askew. "All this time… Standing guard, making sure nobody interfered… I've been _helping him_ let Dark wizards conquer Hogwarts…" Her voice was becoming so crackly that her words were barely able to be made out. "I had no idea… Shiro, you were right, I was stupid… I-I just thought I was saving him, I was so blind… And letting in Death Eaters isn't all he's got up his sleeve: Voldemort will only spare him if… If he kills Professor Dumbledore."

Now Shiro and Konata's skins lacked color as well. "Oh, Blaze… We… We know you only had good intentions, don't beat yourself up over it… A-and I know Draco would never go through with murder, he's gonna find a way around it…" Shiro insisted in a precarious whisper. He reached out to touch Blaze's arm, though he never got around to it. The first year girl that had asked Shiro what was going on let out a scream of utmost terror, pointing out of a nearby window. Everybody turned their heads simultaneously; the sight that met their eyes caused many other people to join in the girl's horrified scream.

Lord Voldemort's Dark Mark was towering sinisterly in the night sky.

A dry sob escaped Blaze's lips; the hearts of the trio were beating harder than ever.

"Shiro, Konata, Blaze! Come on, the DA's already down there fighting!" called the voice of Neville, emerging from the crowd of Gryffindors. Blaze didn't respond, though she did follow after her friends who bolted away in Neville's wake.

The scene that greeted them was terrifying. Draco's plan obviously had been successful: Death Eaters of all shapes and sizes were fighting members of both the Order and Dumbledore's Army mercilessly.

Finally regaining herself, Blaze dashed off to help Lupin duel a particularly large Death Eater that was overpowering him. Konata ran to aid Ernie Macmillan; Neville sprinted away to assist Ginny while Shiro looked around frantically, feeling horribly useless.

Before he could get his mind sorted out, he abruptly found himself knocked to the ground. Someone was kneeling on his chest, making breathing a difficult task. He felt a clawed hand grip his face, the revolting scent of dirt and blood meeting his nostrils. "You're quite a clean young man… You'll be delicious, I can tell," hissed Fenrir Greyback. Shiro struggled fruitlessly as the werewolf man bared his yellow fangs. A mere second later and his teeth would be in Shiro's flesh…

_"Flipendo!"_ With a yelp, Greyback was sent flying a good ten feet backwards. Konata stood behind a shaky Shiro, her wand raised and a fury she'd never felt before blazing wildly in her green eyes. "You stay AWAY from my boyfriend, you bastard. _AVIS!_" she screeched. With a _bang_, a flock of tiny birds shot out of her wand tip, all set on pecking Greyback furiously.

"You're brilliant, you are," Shiro breathed, scrambling to his feet.

"Correct. Now come on, we have some Death Eater arse to kick," Konata responded, already quickly striding away.

Meanwhile, something else caught Blaze's attention: a flash of white-blonde hair in the darkness. A teenage boy, his skin pale gray in the moonlight, was being dragged along by a bat-like man in all black with hair to match. Both of them were too familiar: it was immediately that Blaze recognized them as Severus Snape and Draco Malfoy. Draco…. The boy who she loved dearly, and knew returned her affection, but had no choice but to murder their headmaster and help to overthrow Hogwarts. As she watched him run toward the Hogwarts gates, everything seemed to play in slow motion. Hagrid's hut bursting into flames and the screams that followed went completely unnoticed by the blonde Gryffindor. The only thing her blue eyes saw was the form of Draco… He glanced over his shoulder, an almost childish fear glazed into his face. For a fleeting moment, the couple's eyes met… And then time was moving at its normal speed, Draco and Snape were off of Hogwarts ground, and they Disapparated away.

The only thing that snapped Blaze out of her trance and into reality was the sound of Konata and Shiro sharply shouting, "NO!" Closing her slightly agape mouth, Blaze forced herself to investigate her friends' distressed cries. When she caught up with them, the sight that greeted her was enough to wipe her mind of everything that had occurred in the past few minutes- hours, even. Konata was collapsed against Shiro, both of them shaking and crying silently: lying at the foot of the Astronomy Tower was the dead body of Albus Dumbledore.

Dumbledore's funeral was an incredibly poignant event. Words to send his soul to rest were spoken, but few people heard them. Many simply refused to believe their lifeless, beloved headmaster was lying in that white marble tomb, never again going to share his odd yet comforting wisdom.

The Creevey brothers were both crying visibly, Sakura with her head on Colin's shoulder and eyes shut so tightly she couldn't help but wonder if she was making herself go blind; Blaze simply had her head bowed, expertly masking her remorse; Konata was sniffling into a handkerchief, letting her tears fall as Shiro hugged her tightly with one arm and didn't even bother to prevent himself from crying; Satoshi sat in the back row with his usual group consisting of Jeffrey, Lee Jordan, plus the Weasley and Lumbach twins- Catherin was crying shamelessly into Satoshi's shoulder, Caitlyn was latched onto Fred with the same expression of dread as the ginger boy, his twin was gripping his shoulder lightly, Jeffrey and Lee tried to listen to the speaker despite their emotional pain, and even Satoshi was allowing tears to drip down his face. The countless other funeral attendants were in quite similar states.

"You ready to go, Saki?" Shiro questioned weakly at Hogsmeade station later that day, rubbing his puffy red eyes, as people started to head off. Sakura gave a halfhearted shrug, watching Colin help Dennis haul his luggage onto the train. Had it been any other day, this sweet brotherly scene would have made anyone smile at the least.

"I guess… But, we didn't get to say good-bye to Sato…Come to think of it, he never even acknowledged our presence," Sakura noted leisurely. Shiro sighed gently.

"He was just out of it, I'm sure… And I'll bet he had somewhere to go."

"Yeah, you're probably right. I'm gonna go meet up with Colin… …Oh, and Shi?"

Shiro felt his heart stir, not aware until now that they had been using their affectionate sibling nicknames for each other. "Hm?"

Within a second, Sakura suddenly appeared a great deal younger. She lunged forward, burying her face in Shiro's chest and tightly wrapping her arms around him. "I love you…" she whispered. As Shiro gently hugged her in return and assured her that he loved her too, it all came crashing down on him that this was all too similar to their parents' funeral. Still feeling miserable, two of the surviving Ueda kids had headed back home in sniffles only to find their big brother was nowhere to be found, leaving just a note saying he'd be home by 6:00. They later discovered he had gone off to the Lumbach household to weep openly. Had he done something similar this time?

"Oy, Shiro, there you are," Konata called quietly once Sakura had climbed onto the train. Blaze followed behind her, looking remarkably solemn.

"There you girls are… I've been meaning to talk to you about something," Shiro began, casually walking toward the train with his fingers entwined with Konata's and his other hand on Blaze's shoulder. "You may want to pack your bags when you get home, because if it's okay with you and," he turned to Konata, "your parents, you girls will be living under my roof this summer."


	42. Chapter 42: Home Again

"Shiro, I thought that House you belong to is for intelligent witches and wizards. Obviously you were sorted wrong, because you must be completely mental to be asking this," William Verdent growled. At the demand of Konata and request of Blaze, Shiro had retreated back to Konata's house. The moment the door was closed behind them, Shiro questioned if Konata and Blaze could come stay at his house for the rest of the summer. As you can see, it didn't start out well.

"Please, Mr. Verdent… It's in their best interest…" Shiro insisted, trying his best not to sound too desperate, irritated, or whiny.

"It's not like this is against our will or anything, Blaze and I do want to go through with this," Konata chimed in.

"I have a voice too you know," Blaze muttered under her breath. She cleared her throat and added, "She's right."

Mr. Verdent rubbed his temples, wishing for an Asprin. "If you must stick together, wouldn't you all be better off here? Isn't the Muggle world safe from all this wizard war madness?"

Shiro shook his head patiently, letting out a soft sigh. "Nowhere is 'safe,' Mr. Verdent… But my village has so many protective jinxes on it that it's probably one of the securest places to be. See, it's hidden as it is, but if you do find it, you can only enter if you've lived in the village for at least 5 years, though if you haven't it sort of goes through your mind and only permits your entrance if you have purely good intentions."

"I don't want any type of magic mumbo jumbo going through my daughter's mind!" Mr. Verdent snapped, his face growing increasingly red. Mrs. Verdent touched his arm, her expression completely gentle. It would have been the direct opposite of her husband's, if not for the mutual concern and slight fear shining in their eyes.

"Please, Will… Trust him. Konata does… We should too," she murmured. Mr. Verdent groaned, jamming his glasses farther up onto the rim of his nose.

"Fine, fine…" He sighed. "I guess you're right. But how in ruddy hell do you expect us to go without hearing from you kids for an entire bloody year?" A tense silence enveloped them as the trio quickly dove themselves into thought. Suddenly, Konata snapped her fingers and bolted out of the room. She returned less than a minute later, grasping what appeared to be a Galleon in her hand.

"This is my coin I got from the DA… Whenever the date for meetings was changed, it would warm up to alert us whenever Harry's master coin was changed," Konata explained. She turned to Shiro. "You've got a Muggle phone, right? So I can call my parents before we head off to Hogwarts. By the time we can't contact them by phone, you'll be old enough to use magic out of school… D'you think you'll be able to edit the Protean Charm so that your coin is the master coin just for mine?"

Shiro bit the inside of his cheek, tossing the idea around in his head. "Yeah… I'll bet I can." Konata nodded and turned back to her parents.

"Then, I'll leave this coin with you. I'll change Shiro's coin every night to let you guys know I'm okay. I can't give you a specific time that I'll change it, just that it'll be at night… So if you feel it warm up, you'll know I'm in good shape," she confirmed.

Another silence occurred, this one longer than the last. Finally, though, Mr. Verdent said, "I dunno. What do you think, Jillian?"

Mrs. Verdent smiled sadly. "It's a brilliant idea… I suppose we'll just have to go along with it." At these words, Konata sprung forward and hugged her parents, giving both of them a kiss on the cheek. Afterwards, the girls packed up all their belongings, said a few more good-byes to Mr. and Mrs. Verdent, then proceeded on their way to Shiro's home.

It took a while to get past all the protective jinxes, but at long last the trio made it into the village in which Shiro lived. They retrieved Sakura from a neighbor's house ("I didn't want her home alone," Shiro told the girls), and then entered the Ueda home. Nothing had changed since Blaze and Konata's last visit: same carpeting, same bookshelf arrangement, same sofa, same photos above the fireplace. It made Konata's heart throb to see that they had stopped taking new pictures since their parents' death.

"Wow, we haven't been here in years," Blaze commented conversationally, glancing gradually around the room. There was a noticeable drop in her expression when her eyes landed on the shelf over the fireplace. Konata, however, didn't seem to notice her friend's remark.

"You said you didn't want Sakura home alone…. Where are the Dopples? Doing work for the Order?" she inquired hesitantly. Shiro's demeanor darkened; Sakura looked abruptly eager to leave the room.

"We… don't know. They've gone missing," he replied in a very low whisper. Konata covered her mouth with her fingertips, immediately regretting that she said anything. Shiro sighed softly, offering a meek smile. "It's tragic, yes, but don't look like that… They're part of Order of the Phoenix- they expected this type of stuff to happen." It took quite a bit of effort for Konata to refrain from pointlessly saying "Yeah, but, still…"

The four teens were spared from an awkward silence when they heard the doorknob jiggle. All at once, they turned to see the front door be swung open; they instinctively whipped their wands out and held them at ready.

"Whoa, whoa, hold your fire! It's me!" Standing in the doorway with his hands up in mock surrender was Satoshi Ueda. The girls all let down their guard, though Shiro only slacked his arm a bit.

"Prove you're Satoshi," he demanded seriously.

Satoshi blinked, obviously not suspecting this not-so-warm welcome. "Satoshi Vincent Ueda. Patronus is a coyote. In love with Catherin Lumbach, cousin of my best friend Jeffrey Knumlach. My longest lasting relationship was with Blaze Alexanders, that spectacled chick right there. I sleep with a rainbow teddy bear."

At the last statement, all three girls exploded into giggles. Shiro himself was resisting the urge to break out laughing, but managed to muster the question, "What's that teddy bear's name?"

"Doodles," Satoshi declared proudly without hesitation. "Now let me and my woman in this house, boy!" Before anyone could ask what he meant by "my woman," he stepped inside to reveal that an average-height, blue eyed girl with bleach blonde hair and mid-length symmetrical bangs was standing behind him on the doorstep. In short: Catherin Lumbach.

"Oy, Catherin! It's great to see you!" Konata piped up- she and Catherin had had a comfortable friendship for years, even if they didn't hang out as often as they did other companions. Tilting her head ever so slightly, Catherin flashed a joyful smile that would make anyone understand why Satoshi loved her.

"Same! You too, Shiro. And hi there, Blaze!" It was all Blaze could do to nod in response- when two girls have dated the same guy, things can never be quite right between them again. Making sure not to look Blaze in the eye, Catherin followed Satoshi to the couch and sat beside him, snuggling against his side and moving forward a bit so he could put his arm around her shoulders. With a casual wave of his wand, Satoshi conjured up 3 armchairs for the trio and let Sakura sit on his right. Crossing her arms lightly, she raised an eyebrow.

"Ew, Satoshi, you've gone and grown your hair out…" She looked at Catherin skeptically. "Do you actually find that _attractive_?" A lovely laugh chimed out of Catherin's mouth. Grinning, she touched her finger against the small goatee growing from Satoshi's chin, then ran her hand over his now scraggly hair that would reach down to his shoulders if he didn't have it pulled back into a low ponytail.

"Nothing about this man can _ever_ be unattractive," she persisted airily. Chuckling, Satoshi nuzzled his nose against his girlfriend's.

"Isn't she the best? She's the best."

"Oh, gag me with a spoon," Sakura grumbled with a roll to her eyes. Satoshi slid his arm out from behind Catherin, digging his fist playfully into the top of Sakura's head and wrapping the other arm lightly around her neck.

"I wouldn't be talking, little Miss Snog-Colin-Creevey," he teased. Sakura's cheeks flushed crimson, and she mumbled something about going to bed.

"Speaking of bedtime… We've got to make sleeping arrangements," Shiro pointed out. "There's the room Sakura used to share with Sana, Mum and Dad's old room, my and Satoshi's room, and the twins' old room. Perhaps all of us should share rooms, as uh, safety precautions…" Satoshi wolf whistled at the last suggestion.

"'Safety precautions?' Yeah _right_. You little _devil_, you just wanna share with Konata," he accused, waggling his finger. Sakura's blush was nothing compared to how red Shiro's face turned. Satoshi laughed, getting to his feet and stretching. "It's no big deal though, I mean, no matter where you put me up I was gonna see to it that I share a bed with Cit-Cat. I'll just shrink your bed so it's pocket-sized and make mine bigger…" Satoshi nodded at his plan, making a hand motion that signalized that a blushing Catherin should stand up. "Well, good night, everyone. See you in the morning." With that, he kissed Sakura on the cheek, Shiro on the head, took Catherin's hand, and disappeared upstairs.

It was shortly decided that Blaze would bunk in Sana's old bed, while Konata and Shiro shared the master bedroom. They were both timid at first about sleeping together, but by the time they'd changed into pajamas they decided there was no real harm in it. After calling her parents to wish them a good night, Konata climbed into the queen sized bed and slid under the covers, her hair being ruffled gently by the fan overhead. " 'Night, Shiro," she yawned.

"Good night my sweet." The couple kissed, laid down, found comfortable positions, and fell asleep instantaneously.


	43. Chapter 43: Mature Mistake

Exactly 16 days after his seventeenth birthday, Shiro slept in later than the rest. He sat up groggily, blinking in the sunlight that filtered through the window and wondering why Konata was not beside him. Rubbing his eyes, he stumbled out of bed and loped off to the bathroom. The scent of cooking pancakes floated up from the kitchen, and the only sound to be heard was clinking silverware, Konata and Catherin humming cheerily, the occasional plop when a pancake was flipped, and Sakura explaining to Blaze that their House Elf Opey comes and goes as he pleases.

Still caught in a sleepy stupor, Shiro half-closed the door behind him and turned on the sink to splash his face with water. He allowed the faucet to flow into his cupped hands, splattering it against his cheeks and closed eyes when his palms became full. Something felt immediately out of place. Now wide awake, Shiro hastened to turn off the sink and stared into the mirror. He uttered a minuscule gasp at the sight of his reflection: dark brown hairs had sprouted all over his chin, along his jaw line, and that space between his nose and upper lip. Slowly, he brought his fingertips up to his damp face as if feeling the bristly hairs would make them any less real. As much as it resembled it, he knew this wasn't 5 o'clock shadow. No, he knew that this would grow into a legitimate beard. Sighing, he threw on a t-shirt and some jeans then headed downstairs.

He couldn't help but smile when he walked into the kitchen. Blaze and Sakura were setting the table, Satoshi was digging through the fridge for butter and juice, plus Catherin and Konata were putting finishing touches on their pancakes. To be fair to Konata, Catherin had agreed to cook the Muggle way despite her magical abilities.

Satoshi pulled his head out of the fridge, a carton of orange juice in one hand and the butter dish in the other. He shut the refrigerator door with his foot and cheerily called over his shoulder, " 'Morning, Sleeping Beauty." His grin faltered and shock swept over his face when he caught sight of his brother. "Bloody-… Forget Beauty, looks like you're the Beast." Shiro blushed slightly and rubbed the back of his head, at a loss for a response. Satoshi laughed, placed the items in his hands on the table, and strode over to ruffle Shiro's hair. "Look at you, mate! First you can use magic out of school, now you're sprouting a sexy beard? You're really turning into a man." He sniffled, making himself appear convincingly touched for a few moments.

"God, Shiro, I can barely recognize you with that thing," Blaze commented with an amused smile, her elbow propped on the table with her chin resting on her palm. Konata giggled, sliding a plate of blueberry pancakes onto the center of the table. She hopped over and kissed Shiro on the nose.

"I think it's super handsome. …So long as you don't let it get longer than that."

With a laugh, Shiro kissed the top of her head. "I'm not too fond of it, honestly. I don't like how it feels… I'll shave every morning that I can."

After enjoying a delectable breakfast, everyone headed off their separate ways in the house. Satoshi, however, grabbed Shiro's arm and tossed him back into a chair at the table. He did his best to look completely serious, but failed drastically for he couldn't help grinning like a fool. "Alright Otōto, since you've got your manly beard, and you're getting very serious with Konata, you need to hear The Talk again." Raising an eyebrow skeptically, Shiro just stared at his brother. Satoshi cleared his throat, linking his hands on the table. "So. When a man and a woman love each other very much, they do special things. Sometimes, though, these special things can go wrong-"

Shiro was now aware that his face was flushed pink. "Satoshi… WHY are you telling me this? I know already."

For a few seconds, it was silent. "I don't know, Shiro. I don't know. But you were intrigued, weren't you? You were very interested in hearing a story, I can tell." On that peculiar note, Satoshi shoved his chair away from the table and started rooting through the cabinets for a snack.

That night, Shiro came across Konata staring out the window of their shared bedroom. First scratching the ears of Mischief, who was curled up on his pillow, Shiro approached Konata from behind and wrapped his arms around her front. He pressed his lips against her head, making her smile gently. "What cha thinking about?" he whispered. Konata shrugged halfheartedly, continuing to gaze at the darkening sky.

"Just, reflecting back on us… The first time we met, back in Diagon Alley… When I decided I had a crush on you… When we confessed our love on the Astronomy Tower, and all our failed attempts to say those 3 special words… Our first kiss at the Yule Ball… That time when we were shunned because we were caught snogging…" She sighed apathetically. "It's weird, how the past can make you feel so warm inside, but thinking about the future is more icy, since you never know how long of a future you're gonna have. Especially in times like these…"

Biting his lip, Shiro felt his heart begin to throb. "Come now, love, don't say that… Like you said, you never know how things will turn out, so if you're going to think ahead at all, why not have a positive view on it?" Konata offered a tiny smile.

"I guess I am kind of being a Negative Nessie, huh? Besides… There are a LOT of good things I hope'll happen after this whole war thing ends…" Her cheeks burned light red as the image of her in a wedding gown, Shiro in a tuxedo, flashed before her mind, transitioning into the picture of an older version of herself holding a baby- Shiro's baby- affectionately in her arms.

They simultaneously turned to face each other, resulting in them smiling deeply and chuckling softly in their throats. Words weren't needed for them to communicate to lean in and share a kiss. The sheepish look that suddenly appeared on Konata's face when they backed away strongly reminded Shiro of her back in year 1. "How… How far are we going to take our relationship?" she questioned in a whisper. Now Konata wasn't the only one blushing.

"As far as you want, darling…"

Perhaps it was because it was nighttime, or maybe it was due to their discussion of love and the uncertain future, they realized with a jolt at that moment just how tempting the bed was… Silently, Shiro stepped away from Konata and approached the bed. He scooped Mischief up, plopping her down outside in the hallway. She glared after him, hissing briefly when the door closed in her furry face. Tail twitching irritably, she slunk off downstairs with the air of a child keen on tattling.

"Well… hi," Shiro murmured awkwardly after secretly clicking the door locked, sitting on the edge of the bed. Konata took a seat beside him, caressing his recently shaven cheek with her fingers.

"Hello." Their eyes met, but were quickly closed as they leaned in for another loving kiss. They pulled back slightly just to breathe and smile, though it was immediately that their lips were locked together once more. Scooting so that they were as close as possible, this action repeated itself over and over until they were snogging amorously.

After about 15 minutes passed, the couples' consciences were both wiped clear. The only thing they responded to was the warm, fluttery emotion that was their unbreakable love for each other. It was a good thing Shiro had locked the door, because to their embarrassment and partial shock, 2 or so hours later they found that their clothes were on the floor for a good deal of the time.

"Okay, o-okay, that was… fun…" Konata murmured, panting slightly. Shiro nodded leisurely, momentarily wondering why it felt like it was over 80 degrees Fahrenheit in the normally comfortably cool room.

"I, guess we should go sleep now," he offered, sluggishly sitting up. Reality creeping back into his mind, the full actuality of the situation crashed down on him. "I-I can't believe we just did that…" His voice became shaky as he noticed the light bruises spotting Konata's skin and that she was quivering slightly. "Konata, I'm sorry…" Konata shook her head, sliding out from under the pink-and-brown covers to locate a robe to throw over her naked body.

"Don't be sorry, Shiro… I was part of it too, if I wanted you to stop, I would have said so. Not to mention this wasn't your idea, it was more so mine…"

"But, Konata, I… I hurt you," Shiro whispered, tossing the blanket off of himself. His heart seemed to skip a beat as he noticed what a mess he had created of the bed. He swept his wand over the sheets and whispered "Tergeo" under his breath, causing the newly present white stains to vanish.

Sliding into a silky pink robe, Konata tossed Shiro his blue one to put on. "Maybe a little, but…" She lowered her voice. "It felt really good. Did… Did you enjoy it too? Be honest."

Gulping, Shiro nodded and gave a meek smile. "Yeah… Yeah, i-it WAS pretty brilliant…"

"Then, see? No harm done," Konata replied cheerily, climbing back under the blankets. As she kissed her boyfriend good-night, snuggled up with him, and fell asleep, Konata had no idea of how incredibly false those last 3 words were. Perhaps Shiro should have let Satoshi finish his Talk.


	44. Chapter 44: Consequence

The next day, everyone woke up to learn that Blaze was not amongst them. Shiro did his best to remain calm, searching the house for a note from her and asking around the village if anyone had seen their companion. When he returned home without any luck, though, he entered a state of panic. What if she'd been kidnapped? She WAS close to Draco, who was a Death Eater… What if she decided to leave? She agreed to staying with them, yes, but maybe her lack of comments on the matter meant that she preferred to be somewhere else…

Naturally, when she walked through the door that evening, Shiro had plenty to say. Konata greeted her with a nonchalant "Welcome back" and a relieved smile; Shiro, however, reacted quite differently. "Do you have _any idea_ how worried we were! You didn't even leave a bloody note! You could have been dead for all we knew!" he boomed, his hair askew and his face turning red. Blaze took on the air of guilt, her eyes staring at the ground as if it was the most interesting specimen she'd ever seen. "Where _were_ you, anyway?"

"Out," Blaze muttered in response.

"Out _where?_" Shiro spat. Blaze brought her gaze upward, furrowing her eyebrows.

"I was just _out_, okay! I'm sorry I left all secretively, I shouldn't have made you guys worry, I'm sorry… But let's completely forget about this, alright?" Her voice had an edge of pleading.

For a few moments, Shiro just glared at her and bit his lip roughly. Finally, though, he sighed irritably and grumbled, "Fine. Just give us some notice next time."

"Hey, Shiro? I've been meaning to talk to you," Catherin called that night as everyone was heading up to bed. Shiro tilted his head casually, glancing over his shoulder and halting on the second step. He hopped down the stairs and absently stuck his hands in his pockets.

"Yeah?"

Catherin lightly bit the inside of her cheek, testing out ways to start her desired conversation in her head. "You sure were upset with Blaze, huh?" she began slowly. Shiro's demeanor dropped slightly.  
"Of course I was. I was terrified something had happened… She's like a sister to me. I would've responded just like I did if Sakura had done the same thing."

"Hm, I see," Catherin replied with a nod. She took a silent deep breath, building up the courage to get to her point. "That's a pretty keen fatherly instinct you've got. It should come in handy, since you could end up a daddy… _Soon…_"

Shiro stared at her blankly. "What do you mean by 'soon'? I'm 17, fatherhood is NOT on my to-do list."  
Catherin's crystal blue eyes met his, and she said in a completely serious tone: "I know what you and Konata did, Shiro." These words were like an arrow through Shiro's chest that at the same time increased his heartbeat tenfold. In that moment, though, he discovered that he was quite talented at poker faces.

"_What_ are you going on about?"

"Shiro, please… We have to talk about this." Catherin grabbed the younger boy's hand and led him to the couch. He hesitantly sat with her, glancing down at his lap for a second when Mischief jumped atop it. "Yesterday, I was down here waiting for Satoshi to get out of the shower when I saw Mischief," the Himalayan feline meowed softly at the sound of her name, "walking around down here. I knew she liked to sleep on your bed, so I picked her up and thought I'd bring her back to your room. The door was locked, which was odd enough, but then I paused and I heard moaning… Not to mention I heard Konata begging the word 'more.' I'm not the brightest banana in the bunch, but I can put two and two together."

Silence. So she DID know… Shiro wanted to disappear on the spot, shame washing over him like a wave. Catherin sighed and gently touched his hand. "It's not right of you to be doing such a thing, but it's not really _wrong_ either… Technically, you HAVE come of age, and you and Konata love each other so much… I understand why you two would want to try that out. Satoshi and I are no virgins, but make sure we're protected. I trust that you did too?"

Almost in slow motion, Shiro buried his face in his hands. "No… No, Catherin, w-we weren't thinking, so we didn't take any precautions…"

Mild alarm exploded over Catherin's face. "In that case… Good luck."

After that confrontation, the topic was never touched on again. In fact, Shiro managed to push it all the way to the back of his mind without giving it a second thought. That is, until the day that they were to head back to Hogwarts.

"Snape appointed as headmaster… We're all doomed," Shiro grumbled as the trio sluggishly piled their things into their bags. Xalia and Jakkin perched atop the wardrobe in the master bedroom, their heads nestled under their wings. The girls nodded their agreement, but none of them spoke for the remainder of their packing.

Every time Blaze and Shiro were looking down or away, Konata would stand up a little straighter and glance at the full-body mirror in the corner. Her glimpses only lasted a few seconds, though, before she averted her eyes and returned to her packing her things. Well, she'd already finished packing, so she returned to ORGANIZING her things.

Shiro gave a very small chuckle. "What's wrong, love? You keep looking at the mirror. Afraid the Boogey Man's going to appear out of nowhere?"

Konata slowly shook her head, straightening herself all the way. "No, nothing like that…" She spoke in a distant, leisurely manner. Biting her lip very hard, she took a couple steps closer to the mirror. She gradually turned so that she was facing it sideways, as if she was living under the Slow Motion setting. "I always made sure that I was alone when it happened, but lately I've just been crying for no reason… I didn't tell anyone, but I've thrown up 4 mornings in the past couple weeks…" She swallowed shakily. "I'm not sure, I-I only have a vague clue…" Her voice was still slow and soft, with an edge of nervousness. Even slower yet, she pulled her pale pink t-shirt up to reveal her stomach. In a choked whisper, she said: "I… I think that… I'm _pregnant_."

Shiro could feel himself stop breathing. His discussion with Catherin replayed in his head, images of baby bottles, pacifiers, and having to leave school to care for a newborn child danced around his mind. For a moment, he wondered if he'd died right then and there. But, no, his heart still had a beat, and his blue eyes were gradually widening. He half-consciously raised his hand to his head, sliding his fingers through his hair. He was at a total loss for words.

"Shiro… You 'kay?" Blaze asked quietly.

It took a few seconds for Shiro to locate his voice. "Yes… Just… shocked." Very slowly, he approached Konata, as if he was afraid she'd turn around and kill him if he made any sudden movements. He wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, gingerly touching her bare stomach. "Am I… really gonna be a father?" he murmured.

Konata gave a very small shrug. "I don't know yet… It's just a possibility."

Shiro nodded, resting his head on Konata's shoulder. It was still as if they were in slow-mo. "Pretty inconvenient timing for it, but… Blimey." He smiled very, _very_ slightly, wondering how he ever could have dreaded Catherin's warning. "This is wonderful… Though very risky, and could very well destroy our lives…" He sighed, the vague smile slipping away. "What do you say? If you ARE expecting, should we keep the baby?"

Konata turned around and stared at Shiro like he had three heads. "I tear up whenever someone kicks a puppy. Do you honestly think I could rid of my own child?" She softly caressed her stomach with her hands. "Say there IS a child in here. Unborn or not, it needs me. Needs US. Of course I want to keep it…"  
Shiro smiled gently once more, placing his hands atop Konata's. "I second that notion."  
"Good. Because if you didn't, I'd injure both of you," Blaze assured them.

"I don't doubt for a moment that you would," Shiro said.

The light smile that had appeared on Konata's face faltered. "Oy, Blaze… Try not to judge me and Shiro for… Well, you know."

Blaze stared casually up at the ceiling, her arms crossed. "I'm in no place to say anything. Besides…" She lowered her voice to a mutter, her cheeks turning pink. "Draco and I did the same thing a few weeks ago." Konata and Shiro's mouths fell partially open. Sighing, Blaze faced them again. "When I was 'out…' I had gone to Malfoy Manor. It turns out, Draco didn't kill Dumbledore, Snape did… Draco is terrified. He doesn't want to be a Death Eater anymore, he knows he isn't evil… W-we were sharing comforting words, and that turned to kissing, which turned to, other things… And then I had to leave before we got caught. God only knows when I'll see him again…"

Furrowing her eyebrows in sympathy, Konata wrapped her fingers around her blonde friend's hand. "Blimey, Blaze… I… I don't really know what to say, I'm sorry…"

Silence filled the room again, until the owls fluttered down from the wardrobe onto their owner's shoulders. "Well then, we should be getting a move on," Shiro indicated hesitantly.

Konata nodded, sliding Tar into her bag. "I'll go to Madam Pomfrey as soon as I can to confirm if I'm going to have a baby or not."

"Yeah, you do that," Blaze replied, neither of her friends noticing the airiness in her tone. Shiro and Konata gathered up all their belongings, and then exited the room.

They never saw Blaze examining her own stomach in the mirror.


	45. Chapter 45: Truths

"Blimey, it seems like there's so much less people than usual…" Konata noted as the trio emerged onto Platform 9 ¾, driven to King's Cross by Satoshi and Catherin.

"Yeah, that's because the Ministry's been bloody infiltrated… They've got this stupid idea that there's no such thing as Muggle borns- that they're just thieves who stole wands and magic powers, can you believe that rubbish? So all 'self-proclaimed' Muggle borns are being taken in for questioning… This was in the _Daily Prophet_," Shiro explained in a mutter. Sakura had been half-smiling pleasantly, but she immediately appeared solemn at the thought of little Dennis Creevey, sitting alone in the middle of a courtroom, and that she would have to go through the school year without seeing Colin or knowing of his wellbeing.

"Well kiddies, I guess this is good-bye," Satoshi exclaimed, not sounding as cheerful as he usually did. He gave Sakura a kiss on the cheek, embracing her tighter than he ever had except perhaps after their parents died. Nodding at Blaze, he ruffled Konata's hair as Catherin hugged her and then turned to Shiro with a warm smile. He brought his brother close, firmly but comfortingly patting him on the back. Over Satoshi's shoulder, Shiro made brief eye contact with Catherin. The urge to tell them both about Konata's hunch concerning pregnancy occurred, but before he could carry it out, the Hogwarts Express blew its whistle and they were forced to board.

The four teens silently found an empty compartment, and situated themselves in it. Shiro offered that Sakura take out a game of Merlin's Game of Truth; this game, you see, is a lot like a Truth or Dare app you might purchase on an iPod minus the Dare part. However, the game is magicked to ask questions pertaining particularly to whoever it's asking. If you fail to answer the question truthfully, then you get a harmless but unpleasant jolt. Shiro thought it would be a good way of getting his and Konata's minds off of their possibility of parenthood, Blaze's mind off of Draco, and Sakura's mind off of Colin. Shiro tapped the circular game board with his wand, and it sprang to life.

"Sakura. Do you prefer Konata or Blaze?" a smooth masculine voice asked from the device. Sakura gulped quietly, already regretting purchasing the game.

"Er… I love them both, but I AM closer to Blaze and thought she'd be a little better for Shiro," she answered. "But I really do like you, Konata, and I'm totally accepting that Shiro's with you," she added quickly. Konata smiled politely, while Blaze felt like standing up and exclaiming "Take THAT!" in the brunette's face.

"Shiro. Who was your first love?" the voice inside the game inquired. Shiro looked abruptly devastated. He stubbornly shook his head back and forth. "No way… I don't care if I get shocked, I can't- oh fine, it was Draco… I decided I was in love with him when I was 7, and never really got over it until my second year..."

While Blaze grinned broadly despite the pain Draco's name brought her, Konata squealed into her hands. "No wonder Professor Trelawny is always praising my Inner Eye… I'm so psychic for writing that yaoi story about characters based off of you two!" Rambling on about how exciting this was inside her head, she adjusted her position so that she was lying down with her head in Shiro's lap.

"Blaze. What's the worst thing you've ever done?" continued the game. Blaze smirked casually.

"Same answer as Shiro: Draco Malfoy," she responded without hesitation. It took Konata's mind a moment to register the dirty joke, but when she did she laughed loudly with a snort somewhere in the middle and lightly smacked Blaze's arm.

"Konata. Which Hufflepuff do you think is the best looking?"

"Me, of course. Kidding, kidding! I have to say, Zacharias Smith is a right git, but he's quite the looker…"

Noticing how jealous Shiro now appeared, Konata sprung upright and gave him a long kiss on the cheek.

"I hope this energy of yours wears off… If the tests come back positive, you'll end up shaking the baby to death," Shiro muttered with a slight smile. Had Sakura been drinking something at the moment, she surely would have spewed the beverage out all over the compartment.

"WHAT! Shiro, are you saying you might have knocked up Konata!" she shrieked.

"Unpleasant terminology there, but basically, yes…"

Sakura stared at them in wide-eyed disbelief for a good 5 seconds before loosening up and sitting back against the booth. "Bloody hell, you two… I'm too young to be an auntie… But you guys WOULD make really cute babies, so, I'll wish you luck."

Eventually, the train rolled into Hogsmeade Station and everyone exited the train. The number of first years being ushered across the lake by a less than joyful Hagrid was certainly smaller than Shiro ever remembered it… He quickly averted his eyes and instead watched Konata, who was approaching the carriages with a spring in her step.

Konata… Shiro thought back on exactly 6 years prior to this date when it had been them climbing timidly into the boats for first years. Konata had looked 5 years younger than her actual age, wearing robes too big despite being the smallest available size, with an incredibly skinny and frail build, her light brown hair pulled into two pigtails, her sheepishness giving her the constant appearance of someone on the verge of tears, and her emerald green eyes seeming too big in comparison to her face. Now, it was easy to determine Konata as her age of 16, her Hufflepuff robes fit perfectly over her model-like body, her hair hung freely down her back, she walked with an air of confidence… and possibly most importantly, she might be carrying the baby of Shiro Ueda inside of her. How could anybody change so drastically?

The Welcoming Feast was absolutely nothing like it ever had been. Instead of Dumbledore warmly greeting the students, Professor Snape bitterly introduced the "new" Hogwarts, intimidating the daylights out of everyone. He introduced the 2 sibling Death Eaters that would be teaching Muggle Studies and the newly installed Dark Arts. Few people seemed to have anything to say when their dinners appeared.

"Konata, I don't know that I like you going to the hospital wing alone… There's no sense of security here anymore," Shiro commented as the students filed off to bed. Konata started to respond, until Blaze trotted up to them and chimed in.

"She won't be going alone, I'm coming with her." She lowered her voice a great deal. "I… wanna find out if there's going to be another Malfoy around." Shiro's eyes widened slightly as he nodded. He gave Blaze a hug, Konata a lengthy kiss on the lips, wished them good luck, and met up with Michael Corner.

Madam Pomfrey looked vaguely disgusted when the girls requested that they take pregnancy tests. Still, she went through with it and told them to sit tight while they wait for the results. Konata and Blaze sat together on one of the beds, both of them staring at the ground with rapidly beating hearts and countless thoughts swirling around their brains.

It felt like an hour later that Madam Pomfrey told them the results were processed, when in truth it was no more than 3 minutes. Appearing sympathetic and morose, the nurse declared, "Both of you girls are going to be mothers." Konata felt her heart leap with a combination of terror and joy. A mother… She was going to be a _mother_… She knew that it would be incredibly tedious and life changing, and that the timing was horrible, yet she couldn't help but feel excited. Smiling despite herself, she glanced at Blaze; her grin vanished. Blaze was never exactly a people person... The father of her unborn child was a Death Eater, and she might never see him again... Her life was remarkably problematic already… That being said, Konata was shocked when Blaze lightly pressed her palm against her own stomach and whispered with utmost affection, "Are you really in there, sweetie?"


	46. Chapter 46: Beast Unleashed

When Konata told Shiro that the test results were positive, he expressed the same feelings as she had: frightened, yet glad at the same time. "Blimey, I'm going to be a papa…" he breathed. He gave Konata a long kiss, and then turned to Blaze with his arm around his girlfriend's waist. "Congratulations to you, too. If you need help… Well, Uncle Shiro's here," he assured her with a grin. That, however, was about the only good event that occurred. Life at Hogwarts had changed drastically, making students' stay there quite miserable. Shiro was often in danger of losing himself to the "beast" inside of him, but didn't lose control until about November.

Severus Snape stood before the students in the Great Hall, taking leisurely steps across the floor with that long black cloak of his trailing lazily behind. "It has come to my attention that behind my back, there has been some… misbehavings," he began, the slow softness of his voice only making him seem more terrifying. All that could be heard in the room was the echo of voice and the muffled sound of his footsteps. "Shall I go over some of the basic rules once more?" he continued. "One: You are to be perfectly silent during classes. Two: you are forbidden to own any products from that wretched Weasley store in Diagon Alley, or anything similar. Three: There is absolutely no permitting of leaving your dormitory after curfew. Four: You must progress through the hallways in an orderly manner, never straying solo. Five: No public displays of affection. That being said… Miss Konata Verdent, present yourself up here."

The silence seemed to increase at the abrupt last statement as many students turned toward the Hufflepuff table. Konata glanced side to side, as if waiting for some other Konata Verdent to respond. When nobody took the credit, she got to her feet very slowly. She felt as if she was outside of her own body, like every one of her bones had hollowed out. Terror pulsing throughout her body, accompanied by her seemingly amplified heartbeat, the brunette made her way up to Professor Snape.

Snape made a quick motion with his wand, making it appear as if an invisible someone had seized the back of Konata's robes and yanked them backward, making the front of the regularly loose fabric rather tight against her stomach. Her eyes rounded in horror: being at the 3 month point, she was starting to show. Those whom she had told about her predicament looked down at the floor in both sympathy and shame for their friend; people who weren't friendly with her showed signs of disgust and mild shock; Shiro turned horribly pale.

"Tell me… When did this _occur?_" Snape hissed. Konata murmured her reply, making Snape bellow,

"Speak up!"

"O-over the summer," Konata repeated in a louder but quivering voice.

"Do not lie to your headmaster. _IMPERIO!_" Had Michael Corner not grabbed him by the arm, Shiro would have bolted up there and hexed Professor Snape on the spot as a glossy, hypnotized look swiped across Konata's eyes. Clenching his teeth tightly, eyes shining blood red, Shiro reluctantly remained seated with an animal-like growl.

"Now, tell me the whole and honest truth about how you came to be in this condition," Snape growled slowly and clearly.

"Shiro Ueda and I went all the way on the night of July twenty-eighth of 1997. I did not learn that I had been impregnated until September first of the same year," Konata declared in an apathetic tone much unlike her own. Many gazes now drifted toward the Ravenclaw table, where Shiro sat back to his normal self but wanting to Disapparate on the spot.

Lips pursed slightly, Snape glared down at Konata with the smallest amount of disappointment etched on his face. With a motion to the headmaster's wand, Konata was released from the curse. She closed her eyes tightly, reopening them only to frantically glance around the room. "I suppose you haven't broken any rules by being inappropriately promiscuous…" Konata blushed fiercely, a few tears jumping into her eyes. Snape turned to the rest of the students, who were still deathly silent. "You are all dismissed," he shouted. After shoving Konata back to the crowd, he swept away.

Muggle Studies later that day was when things took a turn for the positively worst. After breakfast, Shiro hadn't been himself. He kept his head down, fearing that if he looked anyone in the eye or spoke any words, he'd do something regrettable. Come Muggle Studies, though, he lost all self restraint.

Ever since the class had been taken over by Alecto Carrow, it had been altered drastically. Instead of being taught how Muggles and witches/wizards were not so different, and how they made it through life without magic, the students were forced to listen to the female Death Eater lecture them in the filth of Muggles. This day in particular, she was discussing how unintelligent they were.

"As you all well know, Muggles are as lowly as animals. They cannot process things as witches and wizards can…" Alecto was saying in a drawl.

"Rubbish," Konata muttered under her breath, staring at her desk. Her emerald eyes widened as she felt she pressure of Alecto's gaze turn to her.

"What was that, Verdent?"

Konata gulped, gradually raising her stare. Furrowing her eyebrows, she put on a brave face. "I said… this is rubbish. I've lived with Muggles all my life, and they're just as smart as magical folk. Smarter, even, if they can invent all these things to survive without magic!"

The silence that filled the room was almost deathly. Terror swept over Shiro's face as Alecto approached his girlfriend with an expression of utmost hatred. _Konata, you idiot… You should have kept your mouth shut!_ He thought desperately. "You dare try to defy my logic? My truth? Stand up, girl," Alecto hissed. Although her courageous appearance remained, Konata was screaming with fear inside as she got to her feet. "Do you know what we professors shall do to students who speak lies, out of turn at that?" The silence that followed was broken when Alecto raised her hand and brought it across Konata's cheek with incredible force. All the students gasped, and Shiro even stood up. "We punish them," Alecto growled.

From a pocket in her dress, she withdrew a knife so expertly assembled it could only be crafted by goblins. "Don't do it…" Shiro whispered, flecks of red beginning to dot his eyes. Of course, though, this comment didn't faze Alecto at all. She raised her arm, and slashed the blade across Konata's cheek. The Hufflepuff cried out in pain, closing her eyes tightly as crimson blood slipped down her face.

"How DARE you!" Shiro shouted. The redness washed over his eyes, fangs growing out of his clenched teeth. His palms immediately started bleeding as the fingernails digging into them transformed into claws.

"Well, well. This is an example of some very exquisite Dark Arts, resulting from an ancient curse… Although this is my brother's field, I'd be happy to demonstrate what happens when you irritate someone under such a curse," Alecto murmured coldly, a smirk forming on her lips.

"No, don't…" Konata whimpered, attempting to catch her bleeding with her hand.

"Quiet," Alecto snapped, smacking her in the back of the head so hard that she cried out and fell to her knees.

"You damn _bitch,_" Shiro snarled. With that, he lunged forward and slapped the professor across the face, seeing to it that his claws left deep marks in her cheek.

"You little… _STUPEFY!_" Alecto screamed. Shiro ducked just in time, and the students behind him narrowly avoided being struck by the red light. At remarkable speed, Shiro grabbed Konata by the wrist, yanked her to her feet, and bolted out the door.

"Where… are we… going?" Konata panted, risking a glance over her shoulder at the professor pursuing them.

"The RoR…" Shiro huffed, the redness of his eyes plus sharpness of his claws and fangs lesser, though they still remained. "And I hate to say it, love, but we may not ever come out." Skidding to a halt by the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy attempting to teach trolls ballet, Shiro waited for a certain door to appear. Once it did, he dashed through it and tossed Konata inside. "Well darling, we've lost her… And I don't think she, or any other teacher, will be able to find us again," he gasped, looking around to see a couple of hammocks as well as banners displaying the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw crests. When the only response he got from Konata was heavy breathing, he whipped his head around to look at her. His eyes widened and gradually transitioned back to blue.

"Konata, sweetheart…? Are you alright?" he whispered, taking a few steps forward and placing his declawed hands on her shoulders.

"S-sort of… I'm sure there'll be bandages for my cheek, it looks like there's plenty of medical stuff here… But my stomach's cramped really, _really bad_, I-I think the baby's hurt…" she said in a soft, quivering voice.

"O-oh, Merlin… You just need to sit, dear, I'm sure everything'll be fine…" Shiro assured her, leading her over to a hammock. Konata gave a small nod, taking a seat and gingerly running her hand over her stomach.

"Th-think we can somehow contact Blaze? Let her know we're here?"

"We're in the Room of Requirement, Konata…" Shiro gazed around the room, which appeared much different than the one in which DA meetings were held. "I'm fairly certain we can do anything."


	47. Chapter 47: New Arrivals

As the days turned to weeks and the weeks turned to months, Konata and Shiro were no longer alone in the Room of Requirement. Neville had joined them (his arrival caused the appearance of a Gryffindor banner), and before they knew it, so had Blaze, a very beat up Seamus Finnigan, all 3 of Shiro's roommates, the Patil twins, Ernie Macmillan, and Lavender Brown. All of them shared the mutual goal of escaping the Carrows. With each of their arrivals, the room expanded, and a bathroom was even added. Although the one thing the room was unable to provide them with was food, that was no longer a problem: a passage to the Hog's Head had appeared, and the bartender- Aberfoth Dumbledore- provided them with the meals they needed to survive. It was perhaps all because of him that Konata was able to send her parents the "I'm okay" message through her fake Galleon every night.

As expected, Draco had not turned up ("Good riddance, he wouldn't have had good intentions anyway," Lavender had reasoned bitterly), which left Shiro to care for both Konata and Blaze during their pregnancies. "Merlin Shiro, you're acting like I'm on my death bed," Blaze muttered often. It was true, really: as the months went by, Shiro treated the girls like royalty and barely allowed them to lift a finger.

"Sorry, sorry, I'm just… worried," Shiro sighed, sitting on a hammock with Konata as Blaze half glared, half grinned at him with crossed arms.

"Hey, you know what's weird?" Konata commented, cocking her head slightly. "I look like I'm at least a whole month farther than you, Blaze… It's always been like that."

Blaze's expression softened; she absently rested her hand on her 8-and-a-half months pregnant stomach. "You're right… I think that's why Snape singled _you_ out that day you guys came in here. You were somehow more noticeable than me… It's weird, 'cause I mean, we were equally as thin…"

"Huh, how odd." Konata turned to Shiro, expecting him to chime in; however, he was too busy staring wide-eyed at a pair of cribs that had spontaneously appeared in a corner of the room.

"Ugh, I hope we get out of here soon… No offense, but I _really_ don't want to be stuck in a room with a couple of babies for more than a few days," Anthony Goldstein muttered, staring lazily at the hammock above him.

"C'mon, lay off it," Michael Corner snapped. "Shiro's got enough to think about right now, don't go making him feel all guilty." He clapped his fellow Ravenclaw on the shoulder, causing him to grin meekly.

The most important day in Konata and Shiro's lives was the twenty-third of April. Shiro was strolling around the room when he caught sight of a door he was certain had not been there for the past few months. Curiosity nipping at him, he hesitantly turned its knob. Poking his head inside, he was shocked to see not a hallway, but what appeared to be a miniature version of the nurse's office except with only 2 beds and much less items. Without bothering to close the door, he spun around and hastened to tell Konata about his discovery.

"Blimey, this place is so brilliant when it comes to stuff we need…" the Hufflepuff girl responded. To Shiro's alarm, color was draining from her face and her eyes were shut tightly. "Don't ask the details, just… help me into that room…" she whispered painfully. Unable to find any words, Shiro assisted his girlfriend to her feet and led her to the new room.

"WHAT is going on in there? Konata's screaming bloody murder," Ernie remarked with a raised eyebrow, glancing every now and then at the mini-hospital's door.

"She's having her baby, probably. I imagine it's not exactly a picnic," Terry Boot replied with a roll to his eyes.

"But does it really hurt so bad that she's shrieking _that loudly?_"

Terry smacked his palm against his forehead. "Yes, Ernie. It does."

Several hours passed. The Patil twins had disappeared inside the room to aid the distressed couple, while Blaze sat nervously chewing her fingernails to stubs. She was feeling quite uncomfortable lately as well… Was her time coming soon? That would explain why there were two beds…

It felt like years later when Shiro flung himself into the main Room of Requirement, with askew hair and a tired appearance yet positively beaming with joy. "It's twins! _Twins!_ That's why she was bigger than Blaze! They're both perfectly healthy, and Konata's doing fine… Not sure on names yet, but they look _just_ like miniature Konatas, they've got my hair though…" He let out a laugh of pure glee and dashed back into the smaller room.

"I think he might be a little glad," Neville mused with a smile almost as big as Shiro's. Michael laughed.

"_No,_ really?"

"Would you like to hold them, Konata?" Parvati was inquiring quietly, wrapping the female baby in a pink blanket while Padma swaddled the male in a blue one. Konata's exhausted face lit up significantly.

"Of course, please…!" she breathed, reaching out her arms. Shiro sat beside his girlfriend, smiling warmly.

"They're beautiful. Absolutely beautiful," he whispered, staring down at his infant children with utmost pride. "Now… Do we have names for these bundles of joy? I was thinking R names, not sure why…"  
Sparkles seemed to jump into Konata's green eyes. "That's perfect, because I was thinking Raito and Raye… Do the middle names Satoshi and Blaze still stand?"

Shiro nodded leisurely, his smile intensifying. "Mhm. Raye Blaze Ueda… Raito Satoshi Ueda… I love it." Their sentimental family moment was cut short, though, as Neville was now leading Blaze to the bed beside Konata's.

Within a matter of hours, Scorpius Draco Alexanders ("Let's not make that official, I'm hoping the last name can be Malfoy," Blaze had pointed out) was born.

These babies were not the only new arrivals in the Room of Requirement. In the beginning of May, out of the Hog's Head passageway came Ron, Harry, and Hermione. Konata, who had just put the twins up for their naps, sprung up and gave Hermione a big hug; Shiro clapped Harry on the shoulder, smiling beamishly. Shortly afterwards, Luna and Dean followed in behind the trio. This, however, was still only the beginning of the Dumbledore's Army members that were returning.

During a frustrated sort of argument between Harry and the others (he said he, Ron, and Hermione needed to do something, but he wasn't accepting help), more people emerged from the hole in the wall: Fred, Geroge, Ginny, Cho Chang, Satoshi, Lee Jordan, Jeffrey, Catherin, her twin Caitlyn (who was holding Fred's hand), and Gaia Robertson. Gaia was a dirty blonde, spectacled old friend of Konata's whom she had met through their mutual House and friendship with Catherin. Like the Lumbach twins and Cho, she had graduated the year prior. "Seamus!" she gasped, bolting over to the Irish boy. "Bloody hell, you're a mess…" She then planted a passionate kiss on his bruised and puffy forehead.

The Golden Trio eventually made their departure, leaving the newcomers with those who had been staying in the Room of Requirement for an extensive length of time. Konata didn't hesitate to hand out hugs to Catherin, Gaia, and even Satoshi. With glistening eyes, Shiro said a quick greeting to Caitlyn (a fellow Ravenclaw) and quickly turned to his elder brother. He hadn't been able to contact him since they left King's Cross Station… He realized with a pang of guilt that the last time he had seen their sister was before he acted out in Muggle Studies. Who knew what fate could have befallen Sakura?

These horrid thoughts fell out of mind as Satoshi leapt forward and embraced his younger brother. For a moment, Shiro wondered if he had actually seen a tear drip down Satoshi's face. "I see you haven't gotten a chance to shave in a while," he murmured, standing back and staring at Shiro with admiration. The younger boy grinned emotionally.

"You haven't been having a fabulous time with hair either." Satoshi, still sporting a goatee and short but present ponytail, laughed and gave his brother another tight hug. "Satoshi… There's someone- two people, actually- that I need you to meet," Shiro indicated quietly. He turned to the crowd still gathered round the hole in the wall. "Catherin, Caitlyn, you girls are like family… You can come too." Without any comment, the three of them followed after the Ravenclaw boy. Satoshi took a double take as he glimpsed Blaze snuggling Scorpius on a hammock; he stopped dead and turned around.  
"Who's the kid Blaze has got?" he asked in an urgent whisper.

"That little guy is Scorpius. He's uh… He's Draco- er, Malfoy's baby," Konata answered, going ahead so she could be the one to open the door to what had once been the mini-hospital but now transformed into a nursery. Satoshi's jaw dropped, and Catherin had to grab him by the arm and literally drag him away to unglue his eyes from the sight of his ex-girlfriend kissing her blonde baby on the nose.

Konata and Shiro led them all to a crib in the corner of the tiny nursery. All three of them gasped deeply, their eyes becoming wide. They took in the full picture of what they were seeing: The two babies weren't terribly small, but also not significantly large. Both of them were sleeping silently, stretched out under a blanket Konata had sewn herself. The twin on the right had its miniscule fingers wrapped around the paw of a teddy bear; the one on the left was lightly gripping a stuffed dog's foot. Both babies had peach-fuzz-like hair the same shade of brown as their father's.

"Oh my Lord… Shiro, Konata, they're _adorable…_" Catherin insisted in a high pitched voice, partially covering her mouth with her hand. Before the latter could respond, though, Satoshi spoke.

"Bloody hell… Catherin told me you and Konata did, you know, STUFF," Catherin flashed Shiro a guilty half smile as her boyfriend said this, "but I didn't know THIS had…" Satoshi trailed off, giving a slight shake to his head as he stared down at the twins as if he'd never seen such things before. _"Bloody hell…"_

"I'm sorry, Sato… I would've told you, honest, I just-"

"Oh, I'm not mad or anything," Satoshi interrupted his brother. A blissful grin twitched onto his face.

"Cath's right, they're so cute. What're their names?"

Taken aback, Shiro smiled faintly. "The girl- she's older by 7 minutes- she's Raye Blaze… And the boy is Raito Satoshi."

Blue eyes widened, Satoshi stared at Shiro for a few seconds. "You named him… after me?" he whispered.

"Naturally."

"Aw, how sweet!" chimed the Lumbach twins. They grinned at each other, then at the new parents.

"It's a shame they're born during times like these, but… Congratulations anyway, Shiro. You too Konata," Caitlyn said. Both sisters gave Konata and Shiro hugs, gently caught final sights of the infant Ueda twins, and swept out of the room. Satoshi laughed as they heard Caitlyn tell Fred about the new babies, Fred croon "When all this stuff with You-Know-Who blows over, we've got to have a pair or two of twins ourselves," and Caitlyn respond "However many you want, love." Satoshi didn't need to be in the room to know the blonde girl had kissed her ginger boyfriend on the nose.

Satoshi turned back to Konata and Shiro. "Well. I can't believe it… Shiro, I remember when you came up to me and asked how I pick up girls so easily. Your face turned so red when you said you had a crush on Konata… Now here you are, the father of her kids. Blimey, things sure do change…" A sort of sadness that made him appear 10 years older swept over his face as he bent down and gingerly tickled Raito's chin, then Raye's. The babies stirred ever so slightly, making barely audible fussing sounds. "My little niece and nephew… So sweet and innocent… I hate that we can't have the satisfaction of knowing they'll have the safe, happy future they deserve."

All pleasure seeped out of Shiro's face; Konata appeared suddenly grim and stared at the ground. "What… do you mean?" Shiro whispered hesitantly.

"Shiro, did you not listen to a word that was spoken out there? Why do you think Neville's trying to get the DA back together? Harry's returned. We're going to war against He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named."


	48. Chapter 48: This is War

The girls and Shiro had gotten in an argument shortly after the full realization of the war dawned on them. Konata and Blaze wanted to fight- Shiro wanted them to stay behind in the Room of Requirement with Ginny, Tonks, and Neville's grandmother. When all three of the babies broke into bawling midway through the verbal quarrel, the girls reluctantly decided that Shiro was right. So, once the time came, Shiro gave Konata a kiss, Blaze a hug, kissed the trio of infants on the noses, and headed off to fight with the others.

Later on, as Blaze was bouncing Scorpius on her lap and Konata was nursing her twins, the door to the Room of Requirement abruptly opened. Konata hastened to cover her chest, causing Raye to make a short sound of disapproval while Raito whined. This, though, went unnoticed by the intruders: Ron, Hermione, and Harry.

"I'm sorry, but you all have to leave… Just for a bit, then you can come back in," Harry indicated hurriedly. Konata's eyes widened.

"And where are we supposed to put the little ones in the meantime? We can't exactly run around the battlefield with them," she reasoned with a partially cocked eyebrow. However, Blaze was already on her feet. Shifting Scorpius to one arm, she yanked her brunette friend to her feet.

"Don't worry, I know where they can be safe. Come on." Nodding curtly at everyone, she dashed out of the door. "We're going to the Headmaster's office. We can put protective jinxes on the door so nobody can get inside, and I'll conjure up a crib to put the kids in," Blaze explained before Konata could ask. Konata furrowed her eyebrows skeptically. "Relax. It'll just be for a bit, like Harry said," she assured her. After a moment of silence, Konata gave a nod and increased her pace, adjusting the position in which she held her increasingly uncomfortable twins.

They were almost there… The stone gargoyle guarding the staircase was in sights… Yet Blaze skidded to a halt. She caught a flash of a pale teenage boy running in their direction, flanked by two goons. That meant… "Draco!" Blaze cried, her grip on Scorpius tightening slightly. Draco, too, came to a stop as if he had suddenly been Stunned. For just a few seconds, the couple of blondes stared longingly at each other until Draco's eyes fleeted down to the baby in Blaze's arms. He needn't glimpse the infant for longer than half a moment to recognize how strongly it resembled himself. Blaze gulped as if hoping to swallow the overwhelming emotion growing inside of her. She looked down at her son. "Draco… Th-this is your-"

"What are you doing, Draco, we gotta get moving!" Goyle interrupted. Draco bit his lip, looking torn; evidently having sorted out his priorities, he whispered "We'll catch up in due time" to Blaze, kissed her forehead, and bolted off. She closed her eyes for a brief moment before approaching the stone gargoyle.

"Dumbledore," she told it certainly. To Konata's surprise, the gargoyle accepted the password and leapt aside. The two girls mounted the spiral stairs without delay, jumping into the room before they had even made it to the top step. Balancing Scorpius in one arm and her wand in the other, Blaze muttered under her breath until a decent quality crib appeared out of thin air. She set her infant inside, Konata quickly doing the same with her own.

"If something happens, please, PLEASE come and find us," Blaze told the portraits of previous headmasters and headmistresses. They all nodded in unison, some of them proceeding back to their own frames.

"I'll be back soon," the two young mothers whispered, caressing their children's cheeks. They swept outside, immediately turning around and casting protective incantations onto the door. Finally feeling secure, they doubled down the stairs.

"Shiro is going to kill us," Konata huffed, gripping her wand tightly in her hand, as they progressed toward the scene of the war. Before Blaze could respond, she was forced to duck to avoid a streak of green light shot toward her. With a growl, she called out her own counterattack, therefore entering a duel with a masked Death Eater.

"Go on, I've got this!" she shouted over her shoulder at Konata. Her companion started to refuse, until she heard her name called from above. She spun around to see Professor Trelawny beckoning to her from the banisters overhead. Konata immediately hastened to join the woman that had grown to be among her favorite professors.

"Take one, dear," she instructed, motioning at the numerous crystal balls in her bag. For a moment, Konata was confused by this request, until Professor Trelawny used her wand to send one of the spheres flying down below, smashing into a Death Eater's head and rendering him unconscious. Grinning despite herself, Konata started to follow in the Divination teacher's lead. The adventurous smile soon faded, though, as she caught sight of the werewolf whom had nearly taken her boyfriend's life months earlier. She cried out in horror as she realized he'd victimized someone… Who, she couldn't make out, but his fangs were certainly digging through a girl's flesh… Konata sent the crystal ball soaring with all of her might, and with a crash Fenrir Greyback moved no more.

The fighting continued for hours, until what felt like all of a sudden it all stopped. Sakura ushered a badly injured Shiro back to the Great Hall as Konata and Blaze headed to the Headmaster's office to retrieve their children. Heavily sore, the girls had to support each other in order to scale the distance, returning to the other survivors with great difficulty.

Sakura was now sitting with Colin, both of them weeping over a tiny, limp form. With a jolt Blaze and Konata recognized the unmoving body as Dennis Creevey's. The underage, Muggle-born brothers must have snuck back to fight… _What_, Konata and Blaze couldn't help but wonder, _would have happened if they stayed where they should have?_

Catherin was silently crying, her arms around a red-faced Satoshi who was shaking with sobs. His puffy eyes were glued to Fred Weasley's dead body, over which Caitlyn Lumbach lay, sobbing, hiccupping, and screaming Fred's name. She fruitlessly kissed his lifeless lips, as if the action would revive her boyfriend. Harry had joined them all, devastation overcoming his features as he caught sight of all of those who had not survived the battle.

Once Satoshi took sight of him, his feeble demeanor took a huge turn. His swollen blue eyes, which were still depositing tears, were now ablaze with fury. His head shot around to face Harry, and he slipped away from Catherin. "This is YOUR fault!" he hissed.

"Pardon?" Harry said quietly.

Satoshi whipped out his wand, storming dangerously close to Harry. "You heard me! Look around you, Potter! People have lost their loved ones and their lives because of this bloody war! Because you won't hike up your skirt and turn yourself in, little Teddy Lupin is an orphan. The Weasleys have lost a son- Caitlyn the father of her unborn child," everyone except the Lumbachs widened their eyes at this declaration, "and me one of my best friends. My little sister is somewhere around here sobbing her heart out because her boyfriend lost his only brother. Seamus is heartbroken because Snape killed Gaia Robertson. Poor Jeff," he jerked his head over his shoulder to face Jeffrey Knumlach, who was sitting against a wall twitching slightly with a blank look in his eyes, "will never be the same because one of those damn Death Eaters tortured him to insanity! Yes, I know people will be ever so devastated if you died, but do you honestly think your life is more important than all of those that have been killed?" He held his wand up threateningly. "Why don't we see how YOU like death!"  
"Satoshi, stop…! He didn't WANT these people to die… A-and turning himself in won't bring anyone back," pleaded the voice of Catherin.

"Yes, well-!" Satoshi shouted wordlessly, now crying so hard he was practically vibrating. He shook his head, burying his face in his hands and taking a few steps back. "I'm sorry Harry, I know you didn't want this… B-bloody hell, everything I just threatened was awful… I didn't mean a-any of it, honest, I-I'm just… Agonized." He sucked in his breath, wiping his face on his sleeve. After about a minute of him standing there silently, all eyes were finally off of him. "Go check on my brother, love," Satoshi told Catherin in a choked whisper, precariously patting her shoulder. Sniffling, Catherin squeezed Satoshi's hand and swept off to do as she was told. Konata's eyes flickered after her and, without full awareness of her actions, she followed the blonde girl with Blaze in her wake.

Shiro lay against a wall, one leg stretched out and the other with the heel pulled toward him so that his knee faced the ceiling. His eyes were closed lightly on his pale, unshaven face, and his left arm was in a sling. "How's your arm, Shiro…?" Catherin asked quietly, gingerly kneeling beside her love's brother. "Sorry if the sling's on wrong, I'm not terribly great with- oh, hi Konata…!" Shiro's blue eyes had fluttered partially open once Catherin approached, but at the sound of his girlfriend's name they widened as much as they could manage.

"Hey there," he murmured weakly. Konata fell gently to her knees and leaned forward to give Shiro a soft kiss on the cheek. The twins, who had managed to fall asleep throughout their journey from the Headmaster's office to the Great Hall, fidgeted slightly, made tiny noises as signs that they were awake, and began to cry. Calm little Scorpius had awoken when Blaze took him out of the crib, though the only sounds he'd made since were occasional whimpers.

Giving a click to his tongue, Shiro went "Aww" under his breath as Konata began rocking the twins soothingly. "Don't cry, my dears… Konata, love, hand me Raye," Shiro instructed softly, extending his good arm. Konata did as she was told; Shiro brought the infant close and nuzzled his nose against hers. Her crying ceased instantly, as did Raito's as his mother whispered lovingly into his minuscule ear.  
Shiro glanced up to see that Scorpius's blue eyes were fixed on him. Smiling deeper, Shiro shifted painfully to his feet and took a stumbling step toward Blaze and her son. "Hello, Blondie Baby… Look at you, you're such a sweet little boy," he crooned. He then gave Scorpius a long kiss on the forehead. Despite being but a few weeks old, an obvious affection shone on the infant's features.

Blaze smiled sadly. "You're such a good father to him…" Shiro slid back into a sitting position, flinching but maintaining his blissful grin.

"Don't worry, Blaze… He'll be with his true daddy soon enough."

And he was correct.


	49. Chapter 49: Aftermath

Later on, Lord Voldemort, followed by his frighteningly giddy Death Eaters and an agonized Hagrid carrying Harry Potter's unmoving body, returned to the Hogwarts castle. Konata and Blaze lay down their babies with a couple of students who were too injured to move, and quickly hastened to join the crowd of people standing in the doorway. He flaunted about defeating Harry like a cat presenting its owner with a dead mouse, the solemn cries of the battle's survivors only increasing his sick pleasure. Even so, Blaze was only vaguely aware of this: she was scanning the crowd of Death Eaters for Draco.  
She was forced to pay attention, though, as Neville charged at Voldemort, causing himself to be Disarmed. After Voldemort told him he'd make a fine Death Eater, and he replied "I'll join you when Hell freezes over," the Sorting Hat was summoned out of an upper story of the castle, placed on Neville's head, and set on fire. "NO!" Konata screamed, jumping forward without awareness of her actions- even if she was in love with Shiro and had eyes for positively nobody else, she would always think kindly of Neville for being her first boyfriend. Shiro immediately wrapped his free arm around Konata's shoulders, yanking her backward before harm could cross her.

Neville, miraculously, made it out of the predicament unscathed. From the Sorting Hat he drew the sword of Gryffindor, which he used to kill Voldemort's snake, Nagini: the final Horcrux. A sort of finale took place, in which Mrs. Weasley killed Bellatrix Lestrange, and Harry faced off one-on-one against Voldemort. The Dark Lord lost…. And just like that, it was over.

"Draco, y-you… You're staying?" Blaze breathed, approaching the boy she loved. He was huddled up with his parents, all three of them appearing like they were quite aware that they were out of place. The thing was, all of the other Death Eaters had been dragged off to Azkaban. A frantic-looking Draco, shaking slightly, shot up his gaze to face Blaze.

"Blaze, I-! Y-yeah, we… They didn't send us with the others," he murmured, scrambling to his feet.

Automatically, he looked down at the baby in Blaze's arms. His shaking halted, and his shoulders loosened up a bit. "This little guy… He… He's _my_ son, isn't he?" he inferred softly. At this, both of Draco's parents widened their eyes remarkably; Narcissa covered her mouth with both hands while Lucius looked a combination of disgusted and intrigued. Blaze gave a slow nod, absently beginning to rock Scorpius.

"Uh huh… I remembered you mentioned in this one conversation a while back that you loved the name Scorpius, so, I've named him Scorpius Draco. I've been saying his last name is Alexanders, but…"

"O-oh, no, there's no need for that," Draco insisted immediately. A warm affection he had never felt nor shown before appeared in his demeanor as he caressed Blaze's cheek, his eyes meeting hers before he gazed down at Scorpius and gently tickled his chin. "I'd say this handsome young boy deserves to be raised by the man he got his looks from, hm? And it'd be a waste of my time trying to find a woman I love as much as you, so I suppose we should be wed." He looked over his shoulder to face his parents. "Well? Will you disown me if I make Blaze my bride?"

Narcissa lowered her hands. "Oh, Draco, darling, if you're happy I'm happy too…" Lucius lifted his chin and narrowed his eyes, as if he was looking over Blaze for the first time, and then sighed slightly.  
"She's a Gryffindor, Draco… Although… She IS a pureblood, and I was fond of her father…" For a fleeting moment, Blaze was harshly reminded of the tale Shotaro had told her, though the fact that Draco had just indirectly proposed to her overpowered the thought. Plus, Lucius added in a hushed tone, "I never meant… for him to turn into someone that would cause you so much pain, Blaze."

Ignoring the added comment from his father, Draco beamed. "Even if you said no, I would have gone through with it, but excellent." Like an eager child, Draco gripped Blaze's upper arms. "Ah, you'll make such a fine Malfoy… I'll buy you _the most_ beautiful ring you can imagine, just tell me if you want a silver or gold band and what type of gem you want and I'll get it… And the gown, I'll pay for your gown, you deserve the best." Blaze laughed, feeling more cheerful than she could remember feeling in a _long_ time.  
"Geez, you don't gotta spoil me… Besides, it's not like the wedding's going to be tomorrow, we can discuss this later."

Draco, too, was appearing happier and more youthful. "Mm, true… I know what I DO need to talk about now, though." He looked down at Scorpius, shining with pride. The infant returned his stare, curiosity and an immediately developing fondness in his tiny blue eyes. "When was he born? I'm so sorry I couldn't be there, I- well, let's not dwell on the past… Were there any complications? He looks pretty healthy now. I wonder if he'll be bleach blonde like his papa, or if his hair will be yellowish like his mummy's? Have you been mothering him by yourself, or have you had help?"

Blaze let out another laugh. "Well someone's excited… One thing at a time, honey. His birthday is April twenty-third; he's a few hours younger than Konata and Shiro's twins." A questioning look crossed Draco's expression here, though he allowed Blaze to continue. "He was born pretty smoothly- I mean, it wasn't a walk in the park, but there weren't any notable problems. I dunno about the hair, it looks like it'll be like yours for now, but who knows, it could get darker… Konata helped out where she could, which wasn't all that often. I can't blame her though, she's got her hands full with the twins… Shiro, on the other hand, has been brilliant." Shiro… The thought of him led her to think of Konata, which reminded her of a question that had been in the back of her head for a while. Her eyes widened a bit behind her partially broken glasses. "Er, here, bond with your son… I'll be right back."

Blinking, Draco scooped Scorpius into his arms without comment and whispered affectionately in a humorously high tone. Narcissa swept over, immediately starting to croon over her new grandson, and even Lucius ventured to get a closer look. Smiling softly, Blaze trotted off to locate her two best friends.  
They were sitting together against a wall, Konata with Raye on her lap and Shiro with Raito on his. It seemed they were quite deep in discussion- Blaze didn't know it, but they were conversing about if they could afford to buy a home together and making vague wedding plans. "Hey you two… How's your arm, Shiro?"

"Attached," he responded. Blaze gave a half smile.

"Good to know. Now Konata…" She turned to her brunette friend. "I've been wondering. How're we gonna go about returning to your parents…?"

"Oh, see, we just finished talking about that… We're gonna leave when everyone else does, and Apparate to the apartment- don't ask how Shiro and I learned, we've just got _ways_- and…" Konata absently began jiggling Raye on her leg. "I guess we'll just have to see how Mum and Dad react. Mum'll probably take it well, but Dad…? Might as well bring a pair of headphones or earmuffs."

That being said, they all boarded the Hogwarts Express on the following day. Like a majority of the other students, they stared longingly out the window, taking in as much as possible with the memories playing before them like a silent film. Before they could fully review them all and digest everything they could of the Hogwarts grounds, the castle was shrinking behind a hill until it was out of sight completely.

Draco took Scorpius with him to Malfoy manner; Blaze was going to meet up with them after she was done at the Verdents' house. Really, she only came along to say a final thank you and farewell to Konata's parents, gather any last possessions she had there, and see how Jillian and Will took to the news of Raito and Raye. Raito had started being fussy, so Konata had to calm him down on the porch as her two friends entered the house. The door opened before Blaze had even pulled her fist away from the knocker. Jillian stood there looking frantic and expecting, the dark circles under her hazel eyes evident that she hadn't gotten as much sleep as needed. She spoke in a high, relieved tone, but that couldn't mask the disappointment that etched onto her face once she saw that her daughter was not standing before her. "B-Blaze, hello dear…! Oh, Shiro, I barely recognized you, you're almost as tall as Will, and you've got all that facial hair… That sling is on all wrong, you poor thing, come in, both of you…" Without waiting for a word from either of them, she bolted back inside.

"Konata! Sweetheart, I- o-oh…" exclaimed the voice of Will. He hadn't even attempted to maintain his usual calm and intimidating demeanor as he stumbled to his feet, but regained it at the sight of Blaze and Shiro. "Konata… Where is she?" His voice already began to reveal his fear. "W-we didn't feel the coin heat up last night, does that mean she's-?"

"She's fine, Mr. Verdent, no worries… She should be coming in any minute now," Shiro assured him, closing one eye tightly as Mrs. Verdent fumbled with the bandages beneath his sling. He caught a glimpse of the fake Galleon used to give Konata a way of telling her parents she was safe, lying on a coffee table. It was almost unrecognizable, most of the paint having chipped off. Jillian smiled almost apologetically as she noticed Shiro's gaze.

"This is literally the first time I've put that coin down in _months_…" She chuckled nervously. "I'm a bit paranoid, I guess."

"Mum, Dad… I'm sorry I didn't contact you last night, I fell asleep before I could remember to," Konata murmured, walking into the room. Her parents snapped their heads up like dogs whose names had been called, eyes widened and huge grins of relief immediately appearing on their faces; however, the smiles vanished as they took note of the little creatures in their daughter's arms. Jillian covered her mouth with her hands, squeaking what might have been words, while Will felt quite like he'd taken a blow full in the stomach. He started formulating bizarre theories to counter his fear, but there was no escaping how much the babies' faces resembled Konata's.

Slowly, he stepped forward, almost as if the infants snuggled into Konata would attack if he made any sudden movements. He was not, however, proceeding toward Konata… Instead, he turned to Shiro, and slapped him across the cheek, causing a loud _SMACK_ to sound across the room. A soft groan of pain left Shiro's lips.

"What the bloody hell did you do that for!" Konata screeched, pouncing forward. Shiro now had his good hand pressed against his red, gradually bruising cheek, fear blazing in his face as if Will was 5 feet taller than him as opposed to 3 ½ inches.

"You dirty bastard, what did you do to my daughter!" Mr. Verdent boomed, ignoring Konata's outburst.

"Don't you dare blame him for something I had full part in!" Konata demanded, standing between her dad and her boyfriend- fiancé, really. Raye started to whimper, so she softened up a level, but that didn't reduce the anger in her expression. "We made a mistake and this is the consequence, but you can't-"

"You're going to KEEP the little monsters?" Will interrupted, obviously not interested in any words of defense his daughter had to say.

Konata immediately looked devastated, securely holding her twins tighter. "NEVER call them that AGAIN! They're not monsters in the least! Look into their faces and try to tell me they're not precious."

Will planned on doing just that; nonetheless, when he peered over his glasses at the infants, all hope of that faded. They looked _so much_ like Konata… He recalled the memory of holding Konata for the first time since he was told he'd act as her father; recalled the feelings of dread since he'd never wanted children… Yet the one-year-old little girl smiled up at him with utmost affection, wearing a look that said "I like you!" without any words spoken… And so he remained silent and allowed present-Konata to continue supporting herself. "I know you're going to say that I'm too young, but I'm graduated and of age, Daddy! Plus, Shiro is my true love, as cheesy as it sounds. We're going to get married when we find the money, and there's a cheap little home we're going to rent for a while…" She looked down at the babies stirring slightly in her arms. "And I don't care if it's naïve, I love these two to death, a-"

"Enough, Konata." Will rubbed his temple with one hand, adjusting his glasses with the other. He sighed deeply. "Alright, this is a fight I can't win and I know it. I suppose you ARE out of school, and if you're truly engaged to Shiro…" He paused before grumbling, "I guess I'll just have to accept the fact that I'm a grandpa now." Konata's shoulders fell in relief, a soft smile forming on her lips. She quickly stood on her toes to give her dad a kiss on the cheek.

"So what are the little angels' names?" Mrs. Verdent inquired. "May I?" she added, half extending her arms. Konata nodded, handing Raito over to her.

"Of course, you _are_ their grandmum… And, the one you've got is Raito Satoshi, I'm holding Raye Blaze," Konata answered.

"Beautiful," Jillian assured her, snuggling Raito against her chest. "I'm much too young to be a grandparent, but at least it's a job that requires nothing but spoiling these sweeties…" She looked up, back and forth between Shiro and Konata. "Also, congratulations, you two."

"Thank you," the couple responded in unison. Konata turned to her father with a hopeful look in her eyes.

"Are you going to love your grandbabies? Come on, look at this face," at these words she held Raye a little closer to Will, "how can you not love this face?"

Mr. Verdent leaned partially backward, trying to appear like he was angry at Konata even though a smile was threatening on his mouth. To hide this, he stared at the ground. "She… IS pretty cute," he admitted, as if it caused him pain to do so. His gaze abruptly snapped upward to bear into Shiro. "If you ever end up leaving them and Konata, or hurt the three of them in any way, I'll personally see to it that you suffer painfully," he growled, jabbing a finger at the dark-brown haired boy. Shiro's face flushed, and he absently took a step toward Konata.

"Th-there'll be no need for that, s-sir…" The terror in his demeanor lessened. "The only way I could ever hurt them is by loving them to death," he murmured affectionately. Konata giggled and gave him a loving peck on the nose.

"Well that was just about _the cheesiest_ line I have ever heard in my life," came the voice of Blaze.

"Whew! Blaze, I almost forgot you were there, hi hun!" Jillian breathed. Konata laughed, both at her mother and Blaze's comment, sticking her tongue out at her blonde friend. She wrapped her free arm around Shiro's waist, snuggling against his chest.

After a few seconds of silence, she looked up into her fiancé's face and remarked: "That WAS pretty cheesy though, darling."


	50. Chapter 50: Wedding Day

"Annnd there. Perfect," Blaze breathed, stepping down from the stool on which she stood. Her blissful grin soon began to falter, though, as she looked Konata up and down. Something was off, but what…? Coming to a conclusion, she snapped her fingers and narrowed her eyes. "You're not as tall as you should be. Are you wearing your heels?"

Konata, eyes closed tightly as if afraid of the full body mirror before her, flinched ever-so-slightly at these words. "Ah, o-of course I am…!"

Raising an eyebrow, Blaze kneeled down and lifted the bottom of Konata's dress off of the floor about an inch. She groaned, finding that Konata had lied: on her stocking-clad feet were a pair of simple flats. Blaze let out an aggravated sigh. She scolded Konata using the hand on which a ring with a silver band and aquamarine gem could be seen. Blaze and Draco had decided on having a private wedding on a beach, just the two of them and a minister. They did, however, put forth effort into buying Draco's tuxedo and Blaze's wedding dress- a pure white, one shouldered gown with beading down the side, the bottom just reaching the floor and the singular sleeve stretching down past her wrist- because they paid so that nearly every single moment of their wedding day was captured in photos. "_You_ are ruining the image we're trying to create."

"My 'image' will be ruined when I trip and break my face on the way down the aisle!" Konata retorted haughtily. Biting her glossed lips, she sighed. "Sorry, sorry, didn't mean to get snappy…" She slowly opened her green eyes, which were brought out by some silvery-lavender eye shadow. Since this was the first time viewing her reflection after allowing Blaze to makeover her, she couldn't help but gasp.  
Her light brown hair had been worked on for nearly an hour, special shampoos, intense combing, and countless curling techniques applied. The results were brilliant: her hair was pulled into a semi-high ponytail, falling past her shoulders in rippling ringlets, and so shiny it was practically glowing. The dress she wore was made out of a thin, soft material that was such a light shade of pink that it appeared white from a distance. The skirt part, trailing a couple inches behind her, was made up entirely of layered ruffles. On her hands were elbow-length gloves, a slightly darker shade of pink than her dress. The band of her translucent veil was decorated with roses sporting the colors of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff.

"You are a wedding design _genius,_" she insisted in a murmur.

"Eh, I try," Blaze replied with a slight grin, getting to her feet on which were silver heels flecked with gold. Her hair had been combed nearly as thoroughly as Konata's, and pulled into a neat bun. On her body was a sky blue, shiny, relatively simple silky dress.

"But, seriously, is the shoe change necessary…? I mean, you can't even see them under my dress, and you know my balance is awful… It'd suck to get a twisted ankle on my wedding day," Konata argued, sounding relatively whiny. Blaze sighed, putting up her hands in mock surrender.

"Fine, fine. Defy the master."

"Thanks for the permission!" Konata stepped away from the mirror, turning with care toward the door. She was perfectly set on exiting the dressing room and heading off to find her dad… Yet she just couldn't get herself to move.

"What's up? Nerves?" Blaze asked, lightly placing a hand on Konata's shoulder. With a gulp, the brunette nodded. "Come on, you'll be fine. Shiro's waiting for you…" Throat suddenly feeling dry, Konata nodded and turned to face Blaze. She gave her a tight hug, whispered a thank you, and left with Blaze saying "Good luck!" after her.

"Hi, Daddy…" she called feebly, stepping out into the hall that was empty besides Will Verdent. He spun toward the sound of his daughter's voice, the expression on his face making it seem he was expecting something dreadful but set eyes on something wonderful.

"You… You look stunning, darling," he muttered plainly, offering his elbow almost robotically. Konata nodded her timid thanks, linking her arm with Will's. Walking was impossible enough as it was… How did Blaze expect her to wear high heels? Somehow, though, she managed to instruct her feet to move, and she was soon walking out of the door to the small building she had been inside.

The sight that greeted her eyes brought her very close to coming to another halt. There were neatly lined rows of golden chairs, each of them seating a guest: Hermione; Ron; Harry, who had brought along Ginny; Catherin; Caitlyn, whose pregnancy with Fred's child was clearly showing; all of Konata's roommates, plus all of Shiro's; Luna; Satoshi, who was accompanied by Lee and George; Jillian, with Raito and Raye on her lap; Blaze (of course), holding Scorpius; an already teary Hagrid; Cho Chang; Sakura with Colin; a few people from Konata and Shiro's neighborhoods. Still, those people were vaguely interesting to Konata: her attention was on Shiro, waiting just down the aisle.

Even though Konata looked truly lovely, Shiro was quite a sight as well. His face was freshly shaven, his hair combed through for a good 10 minutes with the back kicking out as it always did. He wore a dark gray cashmere tuxedo with a white undershirt and navy blue tie. In the background was a dazzling view of Mt. Fuji. How strange it had been, Disapparating from the Verdent household in England all the way to Japan, and how odd it would be to Apparate to their new home on the outskirts of London after their honeymoon.

Will gave Konata a little nudge, signalizing that she needed to move. She blushed- when did the piano start to play, and how long had she been standing there? Well, that didn't matter now: flowers were beginning to be scattered down the aisle before her (who needed a flower girl when Hagrid provided them with fairies willing to take up the job? Or, for that matter, a ring bearer when Opey the house-elf was eager to do it?), and her lover was waiting. Blaze and Satoshi were the original candidates for Maid of Honor and, Best Man but since they had the honor of having the twins' middle names dubbed after their first ones, the positions were given to Hannah Abbott and Draco.

It felt like years later when Konata slipped her arm away from Will's and stepped up to join Shiro. "You look beautiful, Konata. So beautiful I barely even notice how fat that dress makes you look," Shiro whispered with a wink.

"Thanks. And you look so handsome it distracts me from that razor burn on your cheek," Konata responded casually in a tone as quiet as Shiro's had been. In fact, they were both speaking so unnoticeably that the minister had begun his speech. Shiro's blue eyes widened, and he almost slipped his hand away from Konata's to touch his face. Instead, he just blushed.

"I-I could've sworn it was a clean shave…!" he gasped under his breath. Konata chuckled almost silently.  
"Kidding. You look amazing, Shiro."

The minister continued to speak as Shiro murmured, "You too, love."

What seemed to be mere seconds later, it was time for vows to be said. The couple stared into each other's eyes, the words coming as naturally as answering the question of what their names were. "I, Shiro Ueda, take you, Konata Verdent, to be my wife…" Shiro began.

"And I, Konata Verdent, take you, Shiro Ueda, to be my husband…" From that point on, they spoke in unison.

"…to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do us part." With that, they closed their eyes lightly and then reopened them creating, a form of passionate feeling. How could they be hearing the voice of a man they barely knew when it was just the two of them…?

"-only unto her for as long as you both shall live?

"I do," Shiro answered certainly.

"Konata, do you take Shiro for your lawful wedded husband, to live in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you love, honor, comfort, and cherish him from this day forward, forsaking all others, keeping only unto him for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do." The simple two words seemed to make something click into place inside of Konata- as if a door had been opened, leading her into a beautiful scenery, somewhere she would never want to leave and was positive she would be able to remain in forever…

From a pillow supported by Opey, Shiro gradually plucked a gorgeous ring and slid it carefully onto Konata's finger. He took a silent deep breath before speaking: "With this ring I thee wed. Wear it as a symbol of our love and commitment."

"May this ring be blessed so that she who gives it and he who wears it may abide in peace, and continue in love until life's end," the minister spoke. Konata selected the remaining ring, missing the first time she reached since Opey had began shaking with the effort of holding back his joyful tears.

"With this ring I thee wed. Wear it as a symbol of our love and commitment," Konata crooned.

The minister declared another paragraph's worth of ceremonial words, but the couple wasn't listening. Their heartbeats had increased remarkably, both of them now even more strongly aware of what was occurring… What moment was to come… "-and having declared same by the giving and receiving of a ring, I pronounce that they are husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." Feeling as if they'd been preparing for this moment their entire lives, Konata gripped Shiro's shoulders, he slid his hands onto her waist, and they shared the single best kiss they ever had in their lifetimes. They were sprinkled with confetti, rice, and flower petals, their ears met with the sounds of chairs being pushed backward, an eruption of cheers and applause, Hagrid's noisy bawling, and Jillian's sniffling muffled by a handkerchief.

After about 10 seconds, Konata and Shiro pulled away, absolute serenity etched onto their expressions. Holding hands tightly, never wanting to release each other, the newlyweds turned to the crowd.

Konata's smile faltered and she felt herself stumble. For a few moments, she had been positive she and Shiro were the only people in the world… To realize that so many people had their eyes on the both of them the entire time made her gulp as well as tighten her grip on Shiro's arm. The ground seemed abruptly steep. "If I fall, you're coming down with me," she muttered.

"Every time," Shiro assured her gently.

That brief moment of uncertainty evaporated shortly afterward. It proved to be a mild August afternoon, resulting in the perfect weather for an outdoor wedding. Music began spontaneously- the first song was slow and romantic, so everyone cleared the dance floor in order for Konata and Shiro to share their first dance as husband and wife. Once the song ended, another heartfelt one came on, this one meant for Konata and Will to dance. Mr. Verdent kept glancing away from his adopted daughter; not in embarrassment, Konata realized with a laugh, but because he didn't want her to see him shed tears. When the music came to a close, Will hastily kissed Konata on the forehead before shuffling away while wiping his eyes with the sleeve of his tuxedo.

Under normal circumstances, the next dance would have been designated to Shiro and his mother. Obviously, though, Sandra could not be present, so Shiro instead dragged Sakura to her feet and shared a dorky yet sweet dance with her. When she retreated red-faced to Colin, the music got peppier and everyone else piled onto the dance floor. Konata picked up Raito, Shiro Raye, and they partied around joyously, Blaze and Draco slow dancing with surprising animation and Scorpius held carefully between them. Everyone was soon having the time of their lives… Well, almost everyone.

"Hey, Caitlyn, how're you- Oh, I'm Michael Corner, by the way," Michael was saying, taking a seat beside Caitlyn Lumbach. Catherin had offered that she come dance with her and Satoshi, but her sister denied and remained seated. This was a decision she didn't regret: the way her twin was dancing with her boyfriend would have only been seen in movies rated PG-13. Anyway, Michael's presence made her jump slightly, for she had been having bitter-sweet images of this being her and Fred's wedding. Perhaps it was for the best she was snapped out of said daydream, though… Fred was gone, and even if she was expecting his baby, it would be for the better to move on and allow her heart to mend. She offered an uncharacteristically timid smile.

"I know who you are, you were a Ravenclaw too… Shiro's old roommate, right?"

Michael returned her smile, although his was quite a deal brighter. "Yes, that would be me. You uh… look kinda bored." He motioned around them with his hand. "This is a party, you should, y'know, party!" The dark haired boy stood up, extending his hand and nodding at the dance floor. "Come on, you deserve to enjoy yourself."

"I- er, I can't… Don't wanna give the baby brain damage or anything…" Caitlyn briefly reflected back on a time when she would have eagerly accepted a proposal of partying- heck, she would have been the one offering it. Then again, that was also during a time when her biggest worry was whether or not Snape would catch her and Fred dropping dung bombs in his classroom.

"Don't worry, you don't have to jump around or anything… You can just twirl your finger if it humors you, as long as you-"

"Alright, alright, why not," Caitlyn chuckled, getting to her feet. With a poorly hidden look of success, Michael took both of the blonde's hands and backed toward the other guests. They gently revolved in a circle, lifting each other's arms up and down. Caitlyn let out a giggle that quickly transitioned into a laugh. "We look like such idiots… This is great."

Michael also chuckled happily. "Oh, definitely."

Meanwhile, the twins needed feeding, so while Konata swept off to tend to that, Shiro accepted congratulations and compliments, as well as chatted with the guests. That is, until a fleck of movement in his peripheral vision caught his attention. He almost choked on air as he took note of a silver wolf standing perfectly in sight off to the side. Apparently, though, nobody else had caught sight of the huge creature… "Ah excuse me for just a moment," he murmured to Luna, who was discussing a "friend" who claimed they spotted nargles at their wedding. He strode after the Patronus, hoping to get it alone before anyone noticed his absence.

Once they were far enough off, the wolf transformed into the apparition of Shotaro Ueda. Certainly in his life, he had only looked as proud as he currently did when his kids were born… "They're beautiful," he murmured. Shiro chuckled somewhat nervously.

"Pretty vague, don't you think?"

Shotaro made to ruffle Shiro's hair, but instead supplied his son with a chilly sort of headache. "I mean Konata and your kids, dummy. I bet you're so happy- well of course you are." He stared around, floating casually backwards. "I admire your choice of location, really honors your daddy's heritage…" A sad smile appeared on his face, and he turned toward Shiro. "Your mother would be _so_ proud… I'll bet she'd be sobbing her heart out right now, the wimp. …I'll be able to confirm that soon…"

"What do you, mean?" Shiro asked slowly. Shotaro's stare faced skyward.

"You wouldn't fully understand this until your time comes, but… A light started showing itself to me. Guess they gave me a second chance… I came to say good-bye," the ghost explained. "I already spoke to Sakura and Satoshi," he added.

Shiro felt a strange combination of relieved and agonized. "So I won't ever see you again…?" he verified childishly.

"Right… But it's for the best, buddy. Besides, now you've got a whole _bunch_ of people watching over you…" A grin warmer than one would expect a ghost could muster appeared on Shotaro's translucent face, and his form gradually vanished into thin air. Shiro's mouth fell partially open, and he felt a tear roll down his cheek, yet he found himself smiling softly.

Quickly drying his eyes, he returned to everyone to see a sight he never imagined he'd behold. Will had Raye hoisted shortly above him, grinning and crooning the words "That's my lovely little granddaughter." He had given Konata and Shiro his blessing much less grudgingly than expected… If that wasn't surprising enough, he had even given Shiro a _hug_ before the wedding, and _smiled_ at him. How could he be the same man that never wanted to be a father, and desired to drive a bullet through Shiro's head the first time he laid eyes on him?

Shiro's gaze drifted to Konata: his new wife. Would he even bother to get into all the changes she had gone through? No; so he turned instead to Draco, who was getting drinks for himself and Blaze. All their lives, Draco and Shiro had the most confusing, uncertain friendship you could think of. Yet deep, deep down, Draco had a conscience, and a side of him that would do anything for the ones he knew he cared about. Now, that side wasn't so deep. Anyone could see that by the way he held Scorpius and kissed Blaze…

Blaze hadn't remained the same either. She had once been a frail little girl with a strong fear of her father; a strong fear of life itself, which she covered up with a mask of bravery. Apparently she had worn that mask long enough that its courage actually became one of her traits… She was perhaps the most worthy Gryffindor Shiro knew. How appropriate it was for her to be holding Scorpius, for rather she knew it or not she had been the motherly type of person for a long time.

Analyzing Blaze led Shiro to be reminded of her first love: Satoshi. He had altered as much on the inside as he had on the outside. Yes, he was still the loud "cool" kid he had always been, yet there was a great level of maturity he had taken on. The boy who previously concerned himself with nothing but pranking, flirting, being popular, and snogging had become a man who practically took up raising his younger siblings whom he would give his life for, found a woman that he loved more than life itself, and had transferred his passion for Quidditch into a career he could pursue to help support his loved ones.  
As he thought all this over, Shiro came across an inevitable question: yes, so many people he held dear underwent transformation, but had he himself changed at all? He reflected back on his 11 year old self giving Satoshi lip in Diagon Alley and cursing his parents for designating his elder brother as his chaperone; once Konata caught his eye, and they exchanged loving smiles that held much more meaning than any words ever could, Shiro couldn't believe he even needed to ask.


	51. EpilogueFuture Summary

Konata and Shiro carry on Sandra's tradition of having 6 children, and go on to have Austin Michael, Katherine Jillian, Kiseki Shotaro, and Alexandra Sakura. Konata's career as an author of romance novels and textbooks hits off immediately, while Shiro starts employment as a part time Healer as well as a veterinarian. He also takes up a job as a Muggle doctor at a hospital where Konata later works as secretary. By the time Raito and Raye are 14-year-old Gryffindors and Austin is a first year Hufflepuff, Shiro becomes Care of Magical Creatures professor while Konata teaches Muggle Studies. They retire at age 40, when Shiro resumes his medical careers.

Satoshi does not continue his profession as a Qudditch player; however, he takes up coaching witches and wizards who aren't old enough for Hogwarts in the sport. He marries Catherin a little more than a year after the war, and two children are born to the couple: Sam Jeffrey and Kaitlin Gaia. Their marriage faces a couple years of strain; fortunately, those precarious periods eventually smooth over and they live happily.

Sakura lives with Satoshi and Catherin in the house they grew up in, until she graduates from Hogwarts and moves in with Colin. The couple desperately wants children, but Sakura finds herself unable to bear any. So, they adopt a son whom they name Dennis. Colin becomes a stay-at-home dad when Sakura starts working at the Ministry of Magic. She still, though, keeps up a healthy relationship with her son, husband, and brothers.

In December, a red-haired, teal-eyed baby named Justin Anthony Weasley-Lumbach is born to Caitlyn. Although her love for him never quite dimmed, Caitlyn moves on from Fred's death and marries Michael Corner (as it turns out, Michael was majorly crushing on Caitlyn since he was a second year). The couple has a double wedding- that is, it takes place at the same location and time as Catherin and Satoshi's. Together, they have a daughter named Kiersten Corner. Justin believes Michael to be his father for 15 years.

Blaze and Draco live together in the Malfoy Manor with Narcissa, Lucius, Scorpius, and his only younger sibling- Rena Lorraine. Narcissa quickly grows to adore her daughter-in-law, and spoils her grandchildren greatly. Even Lucius grows to be fond of Blaze and Rena, and simply loves Scorpius. Draco and Blaze keep in regular contact with Konata and Shiro, their friendship only faltering when Blaze gets upset that they had so many kids. Still, she grows gradually accepting and the four adults are as close as family once more. Blaze successfully follows her dream of being an Auror.  
Although the first major chapter of their lives has come to a close, there are still countless other tales to be told- stories of parenthood, employment, family drama, and even grandkids. Truly, how can one say where these stories end when every day is a new beginning?

**FIN**


	52. LOST CHAPTER Konata's Parents

**Characters' current ages: **Jillian Verdent (currently Adams)- 23. William Verdent- 24. Archie Kirkland- 25. Elizabeth Kirkland- 22. Konata Verdent (currently Kirkland)- 1.

"She looks _so _like you," crooned a man by the name of Archie Kirkland, his blonde bangs flopping over one eye. In his wife's arms, a tiny toddler, just a year old, was being held. The little girl's mother- Elizabeth Kirkland- shook her head in disagreement, her light blue eyes glued to her child.

"I beg to differ. She's got those gorgeous green eyes, and her head's shaped like yours, and I think her nose is starting to be shaped like yours is…" she reasoned. Archie tilted his head, shrugging.

"Well, I guess she's a combination of both of us," he decided.

"That's sort of what children _are, _aren't they?" The couple laughed, kissing and then both snuggling their daughter in turn. They'd had the same conversation at least 20 times, yet it somehow never got old. As long as a topic positively involved their family of three, they could discuss it over and over without getting bored of it. They stared peacefully into each other's eyes, until the sound of knocking came from their front porch.

"Knock knock, it's me!" sang Jillian Adams, casually opening the door to the Kirkland household with William Verdent in tow. Normally, this would be quite rude, but she and her boyfriend had been friendly with the Kirkland couple for around 5 years. Elizabeth and Archie both stood up, beaming at their company. They exchanged quick greetings, Will and Archie automatically beginning a conversation. Jillian and Elizabeth chatted until they took notice of the Kirkland baby's eyelids beginning to droop.

"Jilly, come with me for a tick. Hang tight men, I've got to put Konata up for her nap," Elizabeth announced. Archie nodded pleasantly, while Will raised an eyebrow.

"Remind me again why you named her that? One, you're not Japanese, and two, you don't even pronounce it right," the spectacled, black haired man muttered.

"Well we loved the name Konata," Elizabeth pronounced this _koh-nuh-tuh, _"and _since _we're not Japanese, we decided to be unique and say it kah-nuh-tuh."

"You say unique, I say mental," William grumbled. With a roll to her eyes, Elizabeth took hold of Jillian's wrist and led her up the stairs.

"How are things going with, you know, you two? I mean, you've broken up 3 times already…" she murmured to her ginger friend.

"Oh, they're perfect. I think we're together for good this time…" Jillian replied blissfully.

"I don't get it," Elizabeth sighed, opening the door to Konata's nursery with one hand and her foot. "What could someone like you see in HIM? He's a right git."

"But you don't know his other side," Jillian stated immediately. "He loves me, loves me more than you could imagine… You just… have to get to know him. _Really _know him."

"By 'really know him,' I'll take it you mean that he's a good kisser?" Elizabeth taunted.

"You KNOW that's not what I mean, Lizzy!" Jillian squealed, playfully smacking her friend's arm. Discussing her love for Will, though, seemed to put her in a permanent good mood. Laughing, Elizabeth gingerly lay down her now snoozing baby. Jillian's expression softened, making her suddenly appear a great deal more mature.

"She is _adorable…_ Absolutely precious, I wish I could steal her," Jillian insisted lovingly. Although Elizabeth's gentle smile remained, it darkened and her eyes filled with sadness. She silently drew in a deep breath.

"I'm… I'm glad you think that, actually." Slowly, she turned to face her friend. "Do you remember what Archie and I told you back when Konata was born?"

All joy was now absent from Jillian's face. How could she possibly forget that poignant conversation that tainted such a fantastic day? She did, though, succeed in shoving it to the back of her mind. "Er… Refresh my memory…" Her voice was barely a whisper.

"As you know, Archie and I are… one of _those _people."

"Oh don't talk about yourselves that way, I think witches and wizards are fascinating," Jillian interrupted. Elizabeth barely attempted to smile.

"Well, we're both purebloods, making us highly valued in our society. But see, we don't think we're all that special- I mean, our best friends are Mugglesfor Pete's sakes. So, we're considered blood traitors. We're as good as dead to the other remaining purebloods. That being said, in the event that anything happens to us… Archie and I want Konata to be raised by you and, if you stay with him, William."

It was silent between the two young women for a moment. Why did Elizabeth choose _then _to remind her of this instruction? "It… It was nice seeing you, Lizzy. I gotta get going…" Jillian murmured after a while. She gave her friend a tight, lasting hug, before striding out of the door, retrieving Will, and heading on home. She decided not to speak of what was discussed in the nursery, not only because she didn't think it was necessary but also because she was afraid of realizing it may be important to have in mind.

"Archie, hun… I reminded Jill of what we want to be done with Konata if we… don't survive. Did you, tell William about it?" Elizabeth said that night, climbing into bed with her husband. Archie shook his head and pulled the covers over himself.

"Nah… He's got the memory of an elephant. Not to mention Jillian'll probably tell him that you told _her_," he responded. Elizabeth nodded slowly.

"Yeah… You're right. Well, good night, love."

"Good night darling." The Kirklands kissed lovingly, sliding underneath the blankets and closing their eyes. Little did they know they would never wake up the next morning. They should have realized a Muggle burglar alarm system was nothing for a pureblood wizard, keen on wiping out blood traitors…

"Lizzy? Hey, it's me," Jillian called through the Kirkland's front door. "I thought we ended kind of short yesterday so I…" she trailed off, seeing that her boyfriend was staring wide-eyed at something beside the doorway. The burglar alarm… It looked like a bullet had smashed through it. Without any other comment, the couple bolted into the living room and down the hall to the bedrooms. Will made it there before Jillian, and stopped dead.

"Jill… Don't come any further," he whispered. Jillian immediately felt fear well up inside of her. He rarely called her Jill, and had never sounded so frightened. Leisurely, Jillian stepped forward and peered inside of the room in which Elizabeth and Archie spent their nights in. There was a possibility they could simply still be asleep… Except that their skin was lacking in color, and neither of them breathed. Jillian stumbled backward, abruptly feeling dizzy. They weren't dead… They _couldn't _be… Poor little Konata couldn't live without parents…

"Konata," Jillian breathed. Weakly gripping Will's wrist, she quickly staggered across the hall to the nursery. The baby was awake, lightly gripping the bars of her crib and staring innocently at the doorway. She started to smile at the sight of the new guests, but soon must have realized these people were not her parents. "Hi there, little sweetie…" Jillian whimpered. With much effort, she made it over to the side of the crib. Shaking, she reached inside and scooped Konata into her arms. "You're… y-you're _my _baby now…" Normally, she would have been overjoyed- she had just become the mother of such a beautiful young girl- but considering the circumstances… Tears streamed down her face.

Now William was close to falling over as well. There was no way he would allow Jillian to raise the girl alone… Yet he couldn't take up the responsibility of fatherhood: children were _awful… _"Don't worry, Konata, I'll take good care of you…" Jillian was stammering, precariously kissing the baby's forehead over and over. With a silent gulp, Will took a step forward and wrapped his arms around Jillian's front. Never would he be able to find someone who loved him like she did; someone who he cared about so much…

"Might as well change her birth certificate so that it says Konata Elizabeth _Verdent…_"

A tiny gasp escaped Jillian's lips. "But, I-I thought you didn't want kids-"

"I don't. I really don't. But it's not like we can just dump the girl somewhere… And _you _obviously want her, so…" Shifting Konata to one arm, Jillian gripped Will's shoulder and lunged forward, pressing her lips against his. When they pulled back, Jillian's hazel eyes widened: for the first time in at least 10 years, William Verdent was crying. Whether it was because he truly didn't want to be a father, or because he was overwhelmed with his feelings for Jillian, or because his best friend had just been murdered in his sleep, nobody will ever know.


	53. LOST CHAPTER Best Friends

**Characters' current ages (during flashback):** Satoshi Ueda & Jeffrey Knumlach- 7. Shiro Ueda- 5. Sandra Ueda (Satoshi's mom)- 27. Shotaro Ueda- 28. [Satoshi and his friends are 16 before the flashback starts]

"I can't believe next year'll be my last… Feels like just yesterday I was being sorted," Satoshi breathed, gazing after his younger siblings as they made their way back to their House tables. Grinning casually, he scanned the crowd of witches and wizards in search of the trademark red hair belonging to two of his best friends, Fred and George Weasley. He positively beamed when he located them and laughed when he saw that George was trying to make Fred stop kissing Caitlyn Lumbach. He strode over to the twins, saying quick and ecstatic greetings to Lee Jordan and Jeffrey as they approached him.

"All right, Ueda?" George called cheerfully, ignoring the death glare Fred shot him for separating him from Caitlyn.

"You bet. Everything is just rainbows and butterflies," Satoshi exclaimed. He plopped himself down on a bench at the Gryffindor table, his friends immediately doing the same. "Hey, I _gotta _show you guys something I found when I was digging through a bunch of old stuff," he indicated while digging through his bag. Grinning victoriously, he held out a moving photo displaying two young brown haired boys. Jeffrey's ears turned a shade of pink, yet he couldn't help but grin along with his friends.

The picture was of Satoshi and Jeffrey when they were much younger, beaming and making faces and poses for the camera. Satoshi looked exactly the same, except he was a lot scrawnier, scruffier, and tinier, plus his eyes seemed too big for his face. Jeffrey, on the other hand, was almost unrecognizable. Nobody would ever guess that his round, double-chinned face would eventually become square-jawed and relatively handsome. While his arms were now well toned (to his embarrassment, some bolder girls would occasionally ask to feel his muscles), the Jeffrey in the picture had short chubby arms. The only thing that remained similar throughout the years, really, was the youthful glow in his hazel eyes as well as how he styled his spiky brown hair.

"Ah, I remember the day I first met you," Satoshi sighed pleasantly, staring up at the ceiling of the Great Hall which displayed a mild September day. Naturally, he transitioned into a flashback.

It was 9 years ago, and Satoshi and Shiro had gone to the market to fetch the newest copy of the _Daily Prophet_. In one hand, Satoshi held the paper, and the other was wrapped around his younger brother's own hand. He was smiling brightly, humming nonchalantly, when something caught his eye that made him come to a halt. Standing on the porch of the house across from his own- a house he knew to be empty- was a young man with his pudgy son. Without waiting to analyze what they were doing, Satoshi slid his fingers off of Shiro's and bolted toward his home. "Sato, wait for ME! I'M TELLING MUMMY YOU LEFT ME!" Shiro cried. Pouting heavily, he stomped off after his brother and entered their house through the back door.

The very moment Satoshi set foot in front of his house, the door was swung open. Shotaro stood there, his vaguely present smile increasing drastically at the sight of his eldest son. "Ah, hey there little man! Did you see we have new neighbors?"

Satoshi nodded so enthusiastically that he must have given himself a concussion. "I did! It's a man and a boy, and daddy, that kid is so FAT!" The comment made Satoshi erupt with laughter while the smile slid off of his father's face. Satoshi's laughter only died down when a devastated sort of groan or whimper sounded behind him. Still grinning broadly, Satoshi spun around to see the boy he'd just joyously called fat standing there with his father.

"Satoshi Vincent Ueda! What an awful thing to say!" Shotaro frantically shot up his gaze to look at Jeffrey's father. "I am _so _sorry, he's a… troublemaker, this one… Satoshi, apologize right this instant." Satoshi raised an eyebrow skeptically.

"How can I say sorry to someone when I don't know his name?"

"M-my name is Jeffrey…" the other boy sniffled, inching closer to his dad.

"Oh! Well, I'm sorry Jeffrey. I wasn't trying to be mean," Satoshi insisted happily, rocking back and forth on his heels.

"But you certainly weren't trying to be _nice. _So you better not say anything like that again, young man," Shotaro told him sternly. Satoshi gave a salute, hugging his dad's legs before spinning back toward Jeffrey and staring at him as if he was something fascinating.

"I really wasn't making fun of you or nothin'… Like, I call my mummy fat all the time and I love her tons!" An expression showing he just got an idea crossed Satoshi's face. "Come on, let's go inside! We can play, and start being friends!"

Jeffrey gazed up at his father, silently asking for permission. Mr. Knumlach bit the inside of his cheek, and then reluctantly nodded. Satoshi's face lit up; he grabbed hold of Jeffrey's sausage-like fingers and trotted off to his room. The last thing he heard before disappearing up the stairs was Shotaro's voice saying "I really am sorry about Satoshi, he's… not too keen on manners. The _polite _son is his little brother…"

Once in Satoshi's bedroom- the walls covered with Quidditch posters and the floor cluttered with toys- the boys both sat on his bed. "So are you mad at me, Jeffrey?"

"No, I'm not mad… I _know _I'm big," Jeffrey murmured, staring around the room curiously.

"It's not like there's anything _wrong _with it, as long as people can like you! Again with my mum, I personally think she's a fatty, but she's soooo nice and loves us bunches… Then again, it's not really her fault she's not skinny, I mean, she had 4 babies plus there's _another _one in her tummy now…"

Jeffrey's jaw dropped, and his gaze snapped to Satoshi's face. "Wow, so that means you'll have… _4 _siblings!" he gasped. "I don't have _any…_" There was no mistaking the envy in his tone. Satoshi clapped his hands once.

"Well then ask your mum for one!" He suggested. "Have you done that already?"

A shadow seemed to pass over Jeffrey's round face. "I can't… My mum doesn't love my daddy anymore, I don't think," he whispered. Satoshi drew in a deep breath, obviously agonized at hearing this. "Besides, Mummy is in New York- you know, in America. So, I won't see her that much. Once a month, maybe…"

You would think Satoshi was ready to burst into tears. "Aw, man! That's really sucky… Don't worry though, we're gonna be such good friends that you won't ever have time to be sad." An awestruck happiness seeped into Jeffrey's features. "So what do you like, Jeffrey?"

And so the boys started speaking of Quidditch, Muggle girls, and comic book characters, feeling fairly certain they'd grow close but having no idea how unbreakable their friendship would become.


	54. LOST CHAPTER Most Important Love

**Characters' current ages:** Shotaro Ueda & Darrien Alexanders- 16. Sandra Ueda (currently Nichols)- 15. Renee Nichols- 17. Lucius Malfoy- 19.

A light-skinned boy with ruffled black hair took a deep breath, lightly closing his thin green eyes and taking in the sounds around him. People exchanging greetings; first years chattering nervously as they were ushered inside; professors shouting instructions; girls giggling as they passed him… Then, finally, a familiar voice calling: "Hey Sho!" Opening his eyes, Shotaro turned casually with a widening grin. Another boy- this one with dazzling blue eyes, rust colored hair, and black glasses- jogged up to him, smiling as well. The Slytherin teenagers gripped each other's hands, immediately pulling one another in one-armed hugs. "Can you believe we're sixth years already?" Darrien Alexanders breathed dreamily.

"Well, considering we were fifth years last year and we graduated then came back, it's _pretty _believable," Shotaro responded with teasing in his tone. Darrien rolled his eyes pleasantly and strode off to the Slytherin table, his best friend trailing close behind.

"So how was your summer?" Darrien questioned conversationally. Shotaro plopped himself onto the bench over-dramatically.

"Freaking AMAZING," he declared. "I visited Renee's house like, five times," he began.

"Stuff has been getting real serious between you two, hasn't it?" Darrien commented. "I mean, you've been dating for over a _month! _That's a new record for you, man."

"Hey, you're in no place to compliment me about the length of my relationships, seeing as you've been with Lorraine since you two were fourth years_,_" Shotaro countered. Blushing ever so slightly, Darrien absently glanced over at the Ravenclaw table where his blonde girlfriend sat.

"But considering your previous longest relationship lasted a week…"

Shotaro laughed almost spitefully. "Well anyway. So on the fifth visit, I dumped the chick."

Darrien choked on air. "You WHAT!" He groaned. "Shotaro… She's _pretty. _She's a _Ravenclaw. _She's _nice to you. _She's an _older woman! _And you DUMPED HER! Why can't you be okay with finding a serious love life?"

The playfulness seeped partially out of Shotaro's face. "No, it's not for the reason you think. I… met her sister."

Disgust washed over Darrien's face. "You can't mean _Miriam, _can you? One, you met her already. Two, she's _awful."_

"Of course I'm not talking about that Gryffin-whore!" He looked around frantically and lowered his voice. "They've got another sister. She's a year younger than us, and she's a… a Squib." Darrien stared at him blankly, though he was gradually catching onto his point. "I feel so bad for the girl, with that sucky family of hers. She's so sweet, but she's also feisty and has a wicked sense of humor… First thing she said to me was 'Renee told me about your rep. If you touch me, I'll smack you so hard you won't even remember your name.' But I grew on her real quick… Man, she's even _more _beautiful than Renee, I didn't think that's possible! I… Dude, I'm falling in _love _with her."

Silence. The two boys stared at each other, Shotaro's eyebrows furrowed and Darrien's raised. "You only saw her 5 times," Darrien muttered after a few tense seconds.

"Ever heard of love at first sight? Dar, this is _it. _I've just… never felt this way about anyone… I've never wanted anyone so badly!" He let out a fractional sigh. "I dunno, maybe I'm the type to want something just because I can't have it. I mean, I probably broke Renee's heart, and the only way to see her sister- Sandra's her name- is if I come and visit her… Although I did 'suggest' to Sandra that I'd come and see her over some break eventually… Still. Like that'll happen."

Darrien lightly chewed on his lip. "I can't imagine how Lucius would react to news of a pureblood falling for a Squib…"

These words stung like beestings; Shotaro had to resist the urge to grab Darrien by the neck. "Yeah, well dear old Lulu graduated. So I guess we're not going to concern ourselves with asking his ever-so-valuable opinion," he snapped. Darrien shrunk back a bit, fully aware that Shotaro never cared for Lucius Malfoy.

"I know, I know, sorry… And y'know, I guess I'm fine with this." A half smile formed on his lips. "I'll support you through-and-through." Shotaro couldn't help but grin at this; he happily gave Darrien a very light punch on the arm. "Those people that are so _obsessed _with blood status are idiots. I mean yes, I'm dating another pureblood, but because I _love _her. People like Lucius just could never understand the concept of loving someone for some reason other than their blood lineage…"

_You couldn't be more right, _Shotaro thought, silently reflecting back on when he had last seen Sandra. It had been a couple weeks ago, though it was so clear in Shotaro's mind that it might as well have been yesterday. This visit to the Nichols household was unlike the four prior ones, where he had come to spend time with his girlfriend: this one was to end their relationship, and see more of that secret sister of hers.

Sandra had been the one to open the door. "Oh, hello… Renee's in the shower, she'll be out in a few minutes," she indicated in an almost robotic tone. Shotaro nodded his thanks and followed her inside the massive house. They stood there in an awkward silence for a few moments, until Sandra sniffed deeply. She bowed her head so that her ringlets of shiny brown hair concealed her face, but not before Shotaro noticed her lip quiver and something like water trickle down her cheek. Shotaro's eyes widened in alarm.

"What's wrong, Sandy?"

"Please don't call me that…" Sandra's voice was uneven.

"Fine." Shotaro took a step forward, hesitantly reaching for her shoulder. "Why are you crying, Sandra?"

The girl shrugged, drawing in a shaky breath. "Dunno. Seemed like a fun activity."

"Sandra…"

"I honestly _don't _know. …Being around a stupid pureblood like you just made me start thinking about my blood status. My parents treat me well enough, all things considered, but to them I'm like… something that they've learned to live with, as opposed to _wanting _to live with, or loving. They don't ignore me or abuse me or anything, and I guess they care about me… But I'm not _important _to them." She snapped her gaze upward, tears flowing out of her puffy blue eyes. "Of course, a _pureblood _would have no idea what I'm talking about."

"Quit throwing that at me like it's such a sin! I _hate _having pure blood. People have so many expectations for me… It's not exactly fun, being marked as a blood traitor." Now facing Sandra, Shotaro stared dreamily into her face. "I don't give a crap about somebody's family tree. It's their looks and personality that I think matters." He used his index finger to wipe a tear off of Sandra's cheek. "And by those standards, your parents should be kissing your fine arse."

Sandra weakly slapped Shotaro across the face, though still hard enough to make him flinch. "You perverted little…" Sandra's hissed accusation trailed off. With a huffy sigh, she wiped her eyes on her arm. "Okay, I'm sorry… I have no idea what my problem is all of a sudden, I must be getting my monthly or something... You're really not that bad of a guy…" To her slight horror, Sandra found herself blushing. "Quite honestly, I-"

But Shotaro never heard the rest of the sentence, for the sound of footsteps- _Renee's _footsteps- sounded on the stairs, so Sandra cut herself off. "Look, I'm going to be letting your sister off- easily, don't worry- but… Well, I won't let this be the last time I see you. I'll be learning Apparation soon enough, and I've got this location memorized, so expect me to turn up around here at some point," Shotaro whispered hurriedly. Renee now joined them in the room, so he hastened to greet her, though not before catching a ghost of a hopeful smile on Sandra's lips. Yes… He'd certainly make sure he saw her again.


	55. LOST CHAPTER Ravenclaw Crushes

**Characters' current ages: **Shiro Ueda, Michael Corner, Terry Boot, & Anthony Goldstein: 12. Luna Lovegood: 11. Caitlyn Lumbach: 13. Fred Weasley: 14.

After a remarkably uneventful day, Shiro and his three roommates headed up to their dorm. The calmness of the day led to them being quite lively despite the late time of night. As a result, they sat up discussing random topics until they came upon one all too inevitable for preteen boys: girls.

"So, Goldstein, whoever do you find intriguing?" Shiro inquired overdramatically, leaning forward with his hands on his knees and batting his eyelashes. Anthony laughed shortly.

"Psh, girls still have cooties in my book."

"Agreed," nodded Terry. "I'm sure you beg to differ, Shiro?"

Grinning, Shiro whipped his hair and sat back strikingly. "Don't tell anyone, but I do happen to fancy a certain Ms. Luna Lovegood," he stated matter-of-factly. Nevertheless, a blush swept across his cheeks, cracking his confident stance. The appearance was completely ruined when Mischief hopped onto his lap with a quick meow.

Terry's mouth was slightly agape in shock while Anthony smacked his palm against his forehead. "Loony? You fancy _Loony Lovegood? _Oh, Shiro, mate… You can do SO much better!" the latter groaned.

"Shut up! Luna's just misunderstood. She really is intelligent- how else could she be a Ravenclaw?- and quite sweet," Shiro snapped, irritably stroking his cat's fur.Acting as if the only other person in the room had been Shiro all along, Michael smiled with a slight tilt to his head.

"Funny how you have a crush on a blonde Ravenclaw girl one year below us, while I have my eyes on someone of the same description but a year _above_- us…" Smile dropping, Michael widened his eyes and covered his mouth with both hands, a sort of shriek escaping his semi-parted lips. "_You idiot!" _he hissed at himself.

All three of his roommates smirked mischievously and gave Michael their full attention, their faces displaying mutual interest. With his fingers linked under his chin and his fluffy feline purring contently on his lap, Shiro quite resembled a villain. "Oh? Why, my dear Michael, you just described-"

"DON'T SAY IT! Alright, just don't! I'm sure you know exactly who I'm talking about, but…" Michael cried out in frustration, falling on his back and pulling the covers over his beet red face.

"You're still in your robes," Shiro reminded him in a sing-song voice. In response, Michael invited his brown haired friend to suck something quite unmentionable.

The next morning was much unlike the previous day. Everyone was in chaos at hearing news about Salazar Slytherin's monster wreaking havoc among the students. "I sure hope Caitlyn will be okay…" Michael muttered, his breakfast untouched. Shiro, who was also hesitant to eat, turned to his roommate with an arched eyebrow.

"What? Michael, she's a pureblo-" He allowed his spoon to clatter to the table. Amusement exploded on his face. "Oh my bloody gosh. Blonde. Ravenclaw. Year ahead of us. You expected I'd know her identity. You're only concerned about _her _wellbeing." Shiro lowered his voice to an excited whisper. "You love Caitlyn Lumbach!"

Their other two roommates burst into laughter. "Mikey's got a _girlfriend!" _they sang.

Michael looked around frantically, although it was impossible that anyone but him, Anthony, and Terry could have heard Shiro. "One, she's already taken, you idiots. And two, I do not LOVE her! I-it's just a crush! A really _stupid _crush…" Absently, he gazed over at the Gryffindor table where the Weasley twins sat with three of their friends. Fred was blowing kisses over to Caitlyn, who was either smacking at the air to reject them or laughing before blowing some back.

"Blimey, I've seen you staring spitefully over there a few times, but you looked kind of in space so I figured it was just a coincidence you happened to be looking at the Gryffindor table…" Shiro murmured. His sympathy soon passed, though, as he felt the urge to be more playful. "Watch and learn," he whispered to Michael. He slid off of the bench, striding down the aisle and plopping himself beside Caitlyn. He leaned his elbows on the table, resting his chin atop his hands.

"_Hello, _Ms. Lumbach! However are you doing this morning?"

"I'm doing alright, Mr. Ueda, thank you _very _much for asking!" Caitlyn responded in a purposely squeaky voice, pressing her palms against her cheeks. She took away one hand to ruffle Shiro's hair as if he was a puppy, not a fellow classmate. Michael's face flushed pink with envy. _Don't go over there… Don't go over there… _he commanded himself.

"Well, that was a lovely chat, I'll see you around!" Shiro exclaimed, leaning sideways and climbing off the bench. Caitlyn laughed cheerfully and grinned at him.

"You're getting to be more and more like your brother every day," she remarked with a roll to her eyes. Shiro sent her a wink which she returned teasingly.

"I hate you so much…" Michael growled once Shiro returned to his side, unsuccessfully attempting to block out Anthony and Terry's new chorus of laughter. Shiro put his arm around his shoulders.

"Of course you don't, because _I _am going to try and get you with her." Glancing over his shoulder, he saw that Caitlyn was now seated amongst the Gryffindors, having her nose poked lovingly by Fred Weasley. "Eh, well… I'll let you continue to dream."

Obviously, that was all Michael _could _do. Years went by without Caitlyn and Fred so much as taking a break. Michael would admire her from afar, daydreaming about having a future with her, and sometimes sought her out in the hallway to find an opportunity to talk with her or maybe help her carry books. But, no… She was always happily with her ginger boyfriend. The lighthearted taunts of Michael's roommates died down over the course of the next year, although every once in awhile until about their sixth year Michael would be faced with the question "How's your girlfriend, Mikey?"

How could he ever know that he would one day be the father of Caitlyn's daughter?


	56. LOST CHAPTER First Kiss

**Characters' current ages: **Shiro Ueda: 13. Luna Lovegood: 12.

A storm was striking outside one evening at Hogwarts. Dangerous dark gray clouds made up the sky, blanketing any sunlight that feebly attempted to shine through. Sheets of rain pounding against windows made the only visible sight when peering outside a streaky blur. Thunder boomed ominously in the distance, while lightning cracked occasionally.

How fitting this awful weather was for Shiro's mood. He was gradually slipping out of Draco's manipulative grasp and back to his true self, but was it really for the best? He would return to his old ways and please his friends and family by it… But what would the consequences be? Oh, what he'd give for a place to escape reality, to let loose… Apparently his feet were working ahead of his mind, because he glanced up to find he was standing outside of the library. Forming the slightest of smiles, he opened the door and entered.

It seemed like the entire population of Hogwarts was avoiding the library, as if the room was right in the middle of the storm outside. Shrugging internally, he nodded at Madam Pince and set off to browse the shelves. Some gory sort of fiction would suit his fancy… It was when he reached the horror section that he became aware of the fact that somebody else was present in the room. Hand suspended in midair reaching for a book, he turned around leisurely as if expecting a 20 foot tall troll to be standing behind him. The sight that met his eyes was anything but that: the other person in the room was Luna Lovegood.

The blonde Ravenclaw was sitting complicatedly cross-legged on a couch, using one hand to support a gigantic novel and the other to fiddle with her necklace of butterbeer caps. Her lips were moving slightly; she must have been mouthing the words she was reading. Shiro so greatly envied her ability to remain constantly in her own little world, oblivious to everything she didn't deem important…

Suddenly, Shiro was blushing and ducking behind a bookshelf. That airy, stuck-in-a-dream behavior of hers: did he not find it intriguing, _attractive? _Hadn't he told his roommates, Blaze, and himself that Luna was the one he had a crush on? It didn't take much thought for him to know that he meant it. People constantly insisted he'd be good with Blaze or Konata, yet he thought of Blaze as too much like a sister, and Konata was taken plus he knew- well, _assumed-_ she thought of him as an older brother. Besides: he couldn't describe it, but something just drew him to Luna… Some unseen mutuality between them…

"I know you're standing there," a voice almost too high to be natural indicated. Shiro jumped, snapping out of his thoughts with a jolt. His blush increased when he saw that Luna was staring straight at him, her position otherwise unchanged. "You're not afraid of me, are you, Shiro? I won't bite you."

Shiro chuckled nervously, stepping out from behind his hiding space. "Oh, n-no, of course not, Luna…" She just smiled at him for a few seconds, until his stammered: "U-uh, what, a-are you looking at me like that, for?"

"Hm? It's just, people so rarely call me Luna anymore. Nobody besides Daddy and my professors, I don't think."

"Well that's rather dumb, considering your name is Luna… What would people call you?" But he knew the answer before Luna verbalized it.

"Loony." She uncrossed her legs, her pleasant expressing never faltering. "Although I don't mind it all that much, everyone seems to enjoy it." Shiro narrowed his eyes slightly, slipping over and sitting beside her on the couch.

"That's awful of them, Luna. I'm glad it doesn't hurt you, though…" He flashed a heartfelt smile. "If it means anything, I don't think you're loony at all. I think you're brilliant."

Luna's smile remained the same, yet something in her expression did change. It took Shiro a moment to register it, but he eventually concluded that some sort of surprised relief or happiness sprung into her eyes. It was silent for a good half minute as the two simply blinked at each other, Shiro's smile fading in the awkwardness. "I-I, er… I like, your earrings," he murmured, eyeing the radishes dangling from Luna's earlobes. She brushed back her straggly hair as if to confirm her earrings were still present.

"Thank you," she answered with the same expression she'd had from the start. "I like your teeth."

What an odd comment. Shiro just stared at her uncomprehendingly, offering a confused smile, until she provided him with further explanation in that airy voice of hers. "You smile with your teeth. They're very white, you know. It's quite lovely."

"Thanks," Shiro replied quietly, his cheeks burning red again. His smile had been complimented multiple times by various people, so how come he didn't seem to actually acknowledge the praise until now?

More silence. Shiro shifted uncomfortably as Luna's eyes gradually drifted back down to her lap. There! There was something to talk about… "That book. Are you enjoying it so far?" Shiro inquired, hoping his tone didn't sound too eager.

"Oh, yes, it's my fifth time reading. It's very charming…" Glancing down, Shiro now got a better view of the cover. It displayed an image of a young witch and wizard attempting to reach each other from two islands. Shiro drew in a silent gasp the second he laid eyes on the title.

"Wow, this is my favorite romantic novel! I've read it six times myself…" he breathed. Interest flickered across Luna's face.

"You have? It _is _an engaging tale, isn't it?"

"Absolutely… So many morals can be drawn from it, I'll probably have a different view on all the events every single time I read it." Shiro was getting so excited that Madam Pince had to remind him to lower his voice.

"The plot is very riveting, yes? So sad and moving…" Luna tapped her index finger against her lip. "I don't quite understand chapter 49, though. That warm, luscious feeling of perfection that was being described… I simply couldn't grasp it."

"You mean the kiss chapter?" Shiro confirmed. When Luna nodded, he said, "I see what you mean, I couldn't relate to it…" His heart gave a lurch when he realized what he was saying: neither of them were able to understand part of their mutual favorite novel because neither of them had been kissed… He gulped deeply and began shaking just a bit, making one of the most daring decisions of his life. "Luna, would you… Would you like to know what it feels like?"

"It _would _be a lovely experience, yes," Luna replied nonchalantly. Surely even shehad to be able to take Shiro's hint… Apparently she didn't though, for her dotty smile_ still _remained unaltered. It wasn't until Shiro scooted closer to her that the grin shrunk a bit. Her already huge eyes widened; nonetheless, she didn't speak. Instead, she sat there completely still as Shiro gingerly grasped her hand that was on the novel, tilted his head in what he deemed to be the correct direction, and partially closed his eyes. The brown haired boy's heart was pounding and he could feel himself begin to perspire.

_You are so disgusting, _he scolded himself. Still, Luna did not recoil. In fact, when Shiro leaned forward at long last and softly mashed his lips against hers, her eyes closed. She squeezed his hand, signaling that she did not desire him to pull away. Shiro absorbed all he could of the moment- the mild scent of some sort of incense emanating from her, the tickle of her hair against his cheek- and wished it would last forever; that the firework show occurring in his head would never end… Yet he must have jinxed it, for the two found themselves withdrawing.

"Goodness, no wonder the author described it as being so brilliant… That was quite nice," Luna breathed. Shiro simply nodded, his tongue tied. The dirty blonde Ravenclaw got to her feet, gingerly placing her novel on the coffee table in front of her. "Thank you, Shiro, I appreciate the experience. I will see you at breakfast." And with that, she skipped out of the library, leaving a dumbstruck Shiro to gawk after her with nothing but the sound of whistling winds in the background. Somehow, he just knew that even if Luna was both his first crush and kiss, the two would never become a couple.


End file.
